Suicide prevention lessons debated in Parliament

A debate is taking place in Parliament this afternoon into whether suicide prevention lessons should be introduced as a compulsory part of the national curriculum in schools.

The campaign has been spearheaded by three men who have united to make the change, after each losing a daughter to suicide. They've become known collectively as Three Dads Walking as a result of their fundraising efforts in the years since losing their children.

Andy Airey's daughter Sophie took her own life in December 2018.

Mike Palmer's daughter Beth took her own life in March 2020.

Tim Owen's daughter Emily took her own life in March 2020.

Around 160,000 people have signed an online petition in agreement that safe and age appropriate education should be given to young people in schools about how to access support in a mental health crisis.

Mike told us that securing the debate today means everything: "It's emotional, it's been a strange and hard journey. This time three years ago Beth was still alive and we had no inkling at all that she was about to take her own life. We lost Beth on 28th March 2020 in the first week of lockdown.

"Since then I've bounced all over the place; I ended up in a suicidal spiral myself because of losing Beth. But I think the instinct of being a dad and meeting Andy and Tim led me to the realisation that so many other families do not have to go through this absolute horror. We absolutely believe in this debate today and introducing suicide prevention as a compulsory subject on the school curriculum. It must happen, we must equip our young people with the skills they need to keep themselves safe.

"Some of the most powerful stories we hear are from those who've fallen into despair and have attempted to take their own lives, but now they are living lives that they want to live. Giving people this awareness gives them a chance and also gives their families a chance."

"These young people are our future, if I'd had this knowledge, if Beth had this knowledge, I think she'd still be here now. "

Mike from Greater Manchester, Andy from Cumbria, and Tim from Norfolk, were initially brought together when their surviving children connected on social media. Since then they have been united in their belief that they can make a difference to other families and have walked hundreds of miles together to raise funds for suicide prevention awareness.

Mike continued, "There will be no decisions from the debate today, but we will know if it's positive by the MPs who speak and the reaction we get. Sometimes people think that by mentioning suicide; it'll happen. But if we don’t talk about it in schools where it's a safe environment; they will search it, they'll go on the web and that will take them to the darkest places. We need to educate them before they do that.

"We're talking about teaching in a sensitive and age appropriate way, and I've witnessed this being taught to Year 7s and six formers. They get it. They want to know and they want to keep themselves and their friends safe.

"It's about help seeking behaviour, knowing that there is help out there and where to go for that help. Being able to speak openly, honestly and to feel supported to have that conversation. So many people are unaware of PAPYRUS and Hopeline UK, they're for young people who are struggling but also concerned others as well."

You can still sign the petition here.