Unpacking the Impacts of Suicide on Our Children: Concerns, Impact, and Opportunities

In this course, Bronwyn Edwards, CEO of Roses in the Ocean, notes that until a decade ago, the word “suicide” was barely spoken in Australia, and that, unless directly impacted by it, children did not really understand what it was. Yet fast forward to 2019 and children are constantly exposed to the concept through multiple media; many have the lived experience of suicide as well. Edwards poses the question of how we can protect, support, and empower our children to live in a world where “suicide” is a very real word in their vocabulary. After an explanation of appropriate terminology to talk about suicide and a brief update on Australia’s suicide statistics, Edwards describes the tri-partite concerns which lead to suicide risk: mass exposure, glamorisation, and normalisation. <br/><br/> Discussion follows on the impacts of children who are: (1) living amongst those with suicidal ideation; (2) supporting suicidal friends; or (3) bereaved through suicide. Edwards balances the serious aspect of concerns by identifying hope-inspiring opportunities that can mitigate the impacts.