Being a teacher is not always about educating young people. As a teacher, you will have a unique relationship with your class and can sometimes be the one person that a student turns to for emotional support if they are struggling. 

It is important to be able to identify the triggers of children and/or young adults who are going into crisis. Being able to preempt these signs will ultimately stop that person from having a poor ability to manage their emotional responses. It may be difficult to notice when a student needs help, so it is a good idea to be aware of your surroundings and take note of some simple techniques to help support those who may need someone to talk to. 

You can take steps to recognise mental health issues within your classroom and educate yourself on how to approach these situations. This will ensure that the children have a safe environment and will feel comfortable confiding in you. You may notice that a student is acting differently and it is starting to affect their learning.

Some signs to look out for could be:

• Constantly thinking or talking about their problem/s
• Acting and being very out of character (for example, a quiet person becoming loud or an outgoing person becoming quiet)
• Changes in mood/unexpected outbursts of emotion
• Feeling/looking tired
• Unable to focus
• Changes to eating habits
• Avoiding friends and social events that they would normally be part of

If you have concerns for the welfare of a child, there are a few ways in which you can approach the subject:

• Listen - It is important that students feel they can express their concerns without fear of judgement or unfair treatment. If this means simply listening to their issues, that may be all they need
• Offer help – without enforcing help that they may not want, you can make them aware of counselling/support services that are available to them
• Seek advice - If the issue is more serious than you originally thought, you may need to make the student aware that you cannot keep it confidential and the details may need to be passed on to a higher authority.
• Safeguard - At all times you must always ensure that you follow the clear rules and regulations on Safeguarding and Child Protection that are implemented in your School.