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Course Summary

Join our Handling Suicidal Conversations online training to increase your preparedness to respond to difficult situations. Learn how to support customers/service users going through a crisis and effectively signpost support.

Our expert trainer will review insights from the Suicide Prevention Strategy and will walk you through the process of identifying and responding to crisis. The training will ensure you are better prepared to handle suicidal conversations with step-by-step guidance on how to direct the conversation to assess imminent risk of harm and keep the person safe.

Learn how to identify warning signs and triggers. Understand how the cost-of-living crisis and other aggravating factors might impact mental health and increase suicidal thoughts. Learn how to use the right language and communication to help mitigate a crisis.

Attend this practical course and gain skills to support individuals in need and increase their chances of reaching out for specialist help.

Support your team to build up emotional resilience to handle crisis situations and maintain a mentally healthy workplace.

This course will provide guidance for customer service professionals and frontline practitioners to recognise and help customers who may be suicidal.

Trainers

Neil Peters

Expert Trainer

Who should attend

This training is for those working in frontline services from the public, private and third sector, including:

Managers and Heads of Department
People and HR Teams
Customer Service Departments
Emergency Services
Tenancy Support and Debt Relief Services
Insurance and Utility Companies

Online Training

Participate in live training online
Group work and practical scenarios
Course materials

The training was first-class and well-presented. I have walked away with more tools in order to do my role in a more helpful and secure manner.
Robert Koch, Islington Mind

Training was really insightful and mind-opening. There was lots of useful information. I think this should be delivered to everyone to enable staff to help customers, colleagues or anyone who is suffering and having suicidal conversations.
Jodie Williams, Cardiff Council

Very interesting with some good discussion points.
Kevin Hartley, NSPCC

Course Outcomes

Understand the risk factors and learnings from the Suicide Prevention Strategy
Learn how to support customers/service users going through a crisis and effectively signpost services
Strengthen your listening and communication skills to handle suicidal conversations
Gain guidance on ensuring staff mental health wellbeing and promoting emotional resilience

Agenda

09:30 - 09:45

Course Introduction

Neil Peters

Expert Trainer

09:45 - 10:00

Suicide in Context

Reviewing the Suicide Prevention Strategy – risk groups and factors
Understanding underlying risk factors and vulnerabilities
Why should we take action?

10:00 - 10:30

Avoiding a Crisis: Identifying Warning Signs

Identifying people at-risk
Situations to look out for
Avoiding a crisis point

Interactive Exercise: Share your experience with the group and spotlight any signs you have experienced professionally or personally

10:30 - 11:30

How to Support People Who May Be Suicidal

Conversation tips
Using the right language
Public responses vs people you know
The BLAKE Protocol

Interactive Exercise: Breakout into pairs – practise asking open questions

11:30 - 11:50

Morning Break

11:50 - 12:20

Staff Mental Health and Emotional Resilience

Tools to look after mental and emotional wellbeing after a crisis
Supporting colleagues after an incident
Building a mentally healthy workforce

Interactive Exercise: Breakout into groups and discuss what you need before or after dealing with a difficult situation. Feedback to group.

12:20 - 12:50

Follow-Up Support and Further Resources

Seeking help and signposting
Knowing when to escalate issues
Best practice for partnership working

Interactive Exercise: Understand how to build a suicide response toolkit for your organisation

12:50 - 13:00

Final Questions and Discussion

13:00

Close of Course

Course Leader

Neil Peters is an accomplished manager with over 20-year experience. His recent projects have included reviewing suicide prevention and intervention pathways for East Sussex County Council, setting up a Pan Essex Peer Support Network for Parents with Parents 1st and identifying the workforce across Sussex exposed to suicidal people or suicide content and making recommendations for their wellbeing needs.

Some earlier projects that Neil managed included programme managing the launch of the National Suicide Prevention Alliance’s lived experience network, writing a suicide prevention strategy for a major property firm and working with Samaritans to review Highways England’s suicide prevention strategy.

Prior to setting up Nuthatch, Neil led the award-winning suicide prevention on the railway programme for Samaritans in partnership with Network Rail, and he is an expert in suicide prevention, mental health and wellbeing. Neil has delivered major award-winning suicide prevention campaigns Real People Real Stories and Small Talk Saves Lives, and led Samaritans’ award winning training team delivering suicide prevention and trauma support training. Neil has also written the rail industry guide for suicide prevention in community outreach.

Neil is on the Suicide Prevention and Self Harm Panel for R;pple Suicide Prevention‘s Advisory Board.

Neil Peters

Expert Trainer

CPD

This course is CPD Certified.

Contribute 4 hours towards your Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and receive a certificate of attendance.

In-house Training

This course can also be offered as in-house team training. Find out more about our tailored training solutions by contacting us at [email protected]

In-House Training

Supporting Vulnerable Customers Online Training

Wednesday 12th August 2026

Customer Service Training Courses

Stage 1 Complaint Handling Online Training

Tuesday 22nd September 2026

Customer Service Training Courses

Handling Suicidal Conversations Online Training

Course Summary

Testimonials

Course Outcomes

Agenda