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Customers talking about suicide or self-harm 003-06010040

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To find a social worker, see Social workers - referrals.

Service Officers in a service centre must refer to local arrangements for warm transferring a customer to a social worker onsite. If there is no onsite social worker available, Service Officers should proceed to a warm transfer to the Social Work Line.

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Verbal and non-verbal clues to identify potential risk of suicide or self-harm

Item

Description

1

How to identify potential risk of suicide or self-harm - verbal clues

  • Statements where the suicidal intent is clearly verbalised (for example, 'I wish I were dead', 'life isn't worth living anymore')
  • Statements that allude to the ending of life or the end of a situation that may be causing the person pain (for example, 'it's OK now, soon everything will be fine')

2

How to identify potential risk of suicide or self-harm - nonverbal clues

  • Sudden changes in behaviour such as:
    • isolation - social or emotional
    • giving away prized possessions
    • recklessness and/or risk-taking
  • Writing farewell notes or making out a will
  • Physiological complaints such as chronic headaches, sudden changes in weight and change in sleeping patterns
  • Neglect of appearance and/or health
  • Emotional symptoms including feelings of hopelessness, mood swings, sadness, angry outbursts, distress and low self-esteem
  • Lack of emotional expressiveness, for example, limited facial expressions, monotonous voice
  • Declining a Services Australia service offer that may be beneficial to them, for example, review of a decision, mutual obligations exemption
  • Negative outcome of an income support claim or request for agency service, particularly when customer is experiencing one or multiple complex vulnerabilities
  • Major loss, for example, of a loved one, home, pet, status, relationship
  • A suicide of a friend or family member
  • Significant life problem that appears to have no solution
  • Barriers to accessing health care, for example costs prohibits seeing mental health care professional
  • Previous, especially recent, suicide attempts or self-harming behaviour

National Support Services

If a customer talks about suicide or self-harm, give the customer information to these services if relevant:

Lifeline

MensLine

Kids Helpline (for customers up to the age of 25)

Note:

  • if the customer is in immediate danger refer to police or ambulance by calling Triple Zero (000)
  • referring a customer to a national support service is not a substitute for a risk assessment and professional intervention by an agency social worker and/or release of information to emergency services by a delegated officer, if required

Supporting Customers Quick Reference Guide

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Customers who are overseas

Staff are to follow the steps outlined on the Process page for the relevant referral channel. This includes notifying a Team Leader and referring to a social worker.

If a customer contacts from overseas, a Team Leader or Manager is to refer them straight away as a warm transfer to the Australian embassy in that country if:

  • the customer or others are in immediate danger or at risk of harm, and
  • a social worker is not available or the customer ends the call

See Our embassies and consulates overseas | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)

See DFAT’s 24-hour Consular emergency helpline Contact us | Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (dfat.gov.au)

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