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This new version of a guide originally developed in 2015, is a major update, informed by experience of suicide clusters that have occurred in the community, in schools and universities, and in psychiatric settings.

Suicides can occur in clusters, especially in young people and in institutional settings. When it becomes apparent that one may be happening this tends to cause panic and a confused response from affected agencies.

This resource - Suicide prevention: identifying and responding to suicide clusters - was first developed in 2015 to help agencies plan for such events and to aid their response when one is thought to be occurring. The new version of this guidance has a new section on universities.

The ultimate aim of the resource is to assist the objectives of the national suicide prevention policy, particularly through provision of guidance for local authorities (who generally plan and co-ordinate suicide prevention in the community) and for other agencies which might be involved in suicide prevention in settings for which they are responsible.

For more information visit the Centre for Suicide Research.