Sebastian Trew, Douglas Russell, Prof. Daryl Higgins
Prepared for the National Suicide Prevention Advisor and the National Suicide Prevention Taskforce, commissioned through the Australian Government Department of Health Suicide Prevention Research Fund, managed by Suicide Prevention Australia, Suicide Prevention Research Fund
Addressing key priority 1 of the Suicide Prevention Research Fund - to learn more about ‘what works’ to prevent suicide and suicidal behaviour - we conducted a literature review on interventions that focused on wellbeing and were designed for out-of-home care for at-risk children and young people. We then analysed whether and how these interventions were effective in reducing suicidal ideation, suicide attempts and deaths by suicide.
Further, addressing key priority 2 relating to factors that are protective against suicide, we identified protective factors (e.g., access to clinical interventions and support for help seeking) that contributed to the effectiveness of an intervention.
We found limited evidence on effective interventions that specifically address the risk of suicide-related behaviours for children and young people in the child protection system and in out-of-home care. Globally only two studies have evaluated the efficacy of interventions to reduce suicidal behaviours in young people in care. We suggest that services adopt high-quality evaluations of part of any existing interventions that are trauma informed to reduce suicidal behaviour in young people interacting with child protection and out-of-home care systems across Australia.
The report was prepared for the National Suicide Prevention Adviser and the National Suicide Prevention Taskforce, commissioned through the Suicide Prevention Research Fund, managed by Suicide Prevention Australia.
The Fund was established by the Commonwealth Government to support world-class research into suicide prevention and facilitate the rapid translation of knowledge into more effective services for individuals, families and communities.
The Taskforce worked with an Expert Advisory Group, a Commonwealth Interdepartmental Committee and a State and Territory committee to identify key priorities: research to understand the experiences of people with lived experience of a suicidal crisis and/or a suicide attempt and evidence reviews to enhance planning for cross-portfolio initiatives.
Our report was one of five evidence checks commissioned through the Fund. All evidence checks are available on the Suicide Prevention Australia website.
Institute of Child Protection Studies. (2020). Reducing suicidal thoughts and behaviour in young people in contact with child protection. [Video]. Suicide Prevention Australia. https://youtu.be/P5q_W1aipJ4
Trew, S., Russell, D. H., & Higgins, D. (2020). Effective interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviours among children in contact with child protection and out-of-home care systems – a rapid evidence review. Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University. https://doi.org/10.26199/5f1771a5a6b9e
Suicide Prevention Australia. (2020). Effective interventions to reduce suicidal thoughts and behaviours among children in contact with child protection and out-of-home care systems – a rapid evidence review. [Infographic]. Suicide Prevention Australia.
Russell, D. H., Trew, S., & Higgins, D. J (2021). Vulnerable yet forgotten? A systematic review identifying the lack of evidence for effective suicide interventions for young people in contact with child protection systems. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1037/ort0000555
We're available 9am–5pm AEDT,
Monday to Friday
If you’ve got a question, our AskACU team has you covered. You can search FAQs, text us, email, live chat, call – whatever works for you.