School traumas include suicide and murder
The Dominion Post — 26 January 2008
Schools have needed Government support to help children cope with more than 1000 traumatic crisis events, including suicides, murders, sexual misconduct and serious crime.
Figures issued under the Official Information Act show the Education Ministry's "traumatic incidents teams" responded to 1101 serious cases in the past decade, involving about 30,000 staff hours.
They are called in by schools during crisis events that cause major disruption or jeopardise pupils' physical or emotional wellbeing. Traumatic incidents include the death or serious injury of a child or teacher, threats to safety, lost children and natural disasters.
Though 1101 such incidents have been recorded by the ministry since 1998, the actual number is probably much higher because some were logged incorrectly or handled internally by schools. The Dominion Post requested a detailed breakdown of all traumatic incidents at schools since the teams were set up in 1996.
But the acting deputy secretary of special education, Jean Smith, would provide specific figures only for 2005. They reveal at least 134 serious incidents that year — mostly in central and northern parts of the North Island. There were 28 sudden deaths, 25 accidental deaths, 14 suicides, six attempted suicides, 13 accidental injuries, nine deaths from illness, eight serious crimes, five sexual misconduct cases and 26 incidents involving vehicles, property or serious illness.
Traumatic incidents teams worked with schools after a crisis to provide "psychological first aid" and maintain day-to-day routines. A crisis could leave people confused or with "emotional numbness". Without help they could also have mental health problems. A four-person team was sent to Tokoroa's Strathmore Primary School in July 2006 after Lois Dear, 66, was murdered in her classroom.
Principal Murray Kendrick said the team provided invaluable counselling and media advice and liaised with the ministry. "They knew their stuff in terms of what needed to be done. With teachers and students who were having concerns or were upset, they certainly worked alongside and helped them." The team helped the school for several weeks after the killing at no cost, Mr Kendrick said.
"We probably would have managed to get through, but they made it a heck of a lot easier. They had all that wealth of experience from their previous situations they were able to adapt and use in the experience we were in."
SCHOOL CRISIS
Traumatic incidents teams are deployed to schools during major crisis events affecting pupils or staff.
They can include:
- Death or serious injury of a child or staff member.
- A suicide or attempted suicide.
- Witnessing a serious injury or death.
- Threats to pupils' or staff safety.
- A lost or missing child.
- A natural disaster or school arson.