National guidance on managing the risks of public memorials after a probable suicide
- Published
- 28 November 2022 (Latest release)
- Type
- Guidance
- Suicide
Managing media
Press
If you receive local press queries about a memorial at the site of a suicide, please refer the journalist to the following guidance:
- Samaritan’s media guidelines
- National Union of Journalist's (NUJ) guidance for reporting mental health and death by suicide
- The suicide reporting toolkit
Multi-agency steering groups for suicide prevention should aim to engage with local media and build relationships with news outlets in reporting suicide carefully and sensitively through the adoption of the guidance.
Social media: public posts
Social media is ever changing, but is a primary means of communication for people of all ages, especially young people.
It is common for people to express their feelings and offerings of condolences through social media platforms. It is important to note that some online sites are ‘public.’ This means anyone can see what is posted. It is therefore important to consider those who may be particularly vulnerable.
Highlighting support services
Communities can use social media to highlight the support services available.
The multi-agency steering group should encourage local partnerships’ social media communication channels to highlight national and local services and supports.
The Samaritans has produced a series of guidance for communities on how to talk safely about suicide online, creating safe online memorial pages for friends or family who have died by suicide and, in partnership with Chatsafe, guidance containing tools and tips for young people on communicating safely about suicide.