Safety Proofing for a Crisis
If your child is thinking about hurting or killing themselves, there are things you can do to make your home safer to keep your child safe. It is important to consider these things for all spaces that your child might have access to. Consider talking to your child's doctor for more information.
If you're concerned about your child's safety, you can support them by:
1) Reducing access to dangerous items
Families should try to reduce access to 1) guns, 2) medications, and 3) any other items identified by your child or their doctor. This should happen before a crisis occurs, so that your child does not have easy access to items they can use to harm themselves. This is important because:
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Self-harm and suicidal behavior can happen quickly and without planning
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A mental health crisis can get worse fast
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It can be hard to know when a crisis will happen
2) Increasing supervision and monitoring
Work with your child's doctor to make a plan for supervising and supporting them that is appropriate for their needs.
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Prioritize safety, while also respecting their privacy
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For example, during a crisis, stay with your child until they feel safe again
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Revise and update the plan over time to give your child more independence as they show safe behavior and communication
3) Supporting participation in regular activities
Encourage your child to keep going to their usual activities. Make sure they have a plan to get help if they need it. You can help them do this by:
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Making sure there is a trusted adult who is aware of safety concerns and can support their safety in different places (like school, clubs, sports, activities).
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Helping your child share their safety plan with those adults
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Talking together about if and how to share mental health information with friends
Ways to Reduce Access to Dangerous Items
Lock Boxes: Many items listed below can be stored in a lock box. Hiding places for lock boxes should be chosen carefully. Keep the key/combination protected and consider changing the combination frequently. Combination locks may be more effective since your child may be able to find a key.
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Talk to your doctor to see if they can provide you with a lock box for free and for more guidance on how and where you can lock up potentially dangerous items.
Check your home, including your child's bedroom, for items that can be used to harm themselves, such as razors, lighters, or anything else they may have used in the past to harm themself.
For all homes:
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Temporarily remove or lock up all sharps (e.g. knives, razors, box cutters, scissors, etc.).
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If it is difficult to secure all sharps (e.g., kitchen knives), consider limiting how many you have and storing them in a place where you can easily monitor to make sure none are missing.
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For commonly used items (e.g., shaving razors), consider a “check out” system in which you provide the item for your child to use and then they return it immediately after they are finished using it.
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Common items that may be used for suffocation, strangulation, or hanging include plastic bags, belts, scarves, ropes, and cords.
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Remove items as able, limit the number of these items in your home, and store/lock up unneeded items where you can easily keep track of them.
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These include drugs/alcohol, cleaning agents/supplies, insecticides/pest control, gardening agents, etc.
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Remove as able, limit the amount of chemicals in your home, and store/lock up chemicals where you can easily keep track of them.
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