Suicide involves significant human and economic consequences, including profound and long-lasting effects on the people who are left behind. The provision of support services to people bereaved by suicide – ‘postvention’ – is essential and should align with their needs in order to mitigate negative effects.
The aim of this document is to offer general guidelines to postvention service providers for people bereaved by suicide. The target audience for the guidelines is not only organisations who may provide postvention services, but also groups or individuals in contact with the bereaved such as frontline workers, health care professionals, social workers, funeral directors, and volunteers.
Development of this resource involved:
- A literature review of the needs of people bereaved by suicide and the provision of postvention services.
- A review of national and international guidelines and quality standards about Postvention Australia Guidelines suicide bereavement and postvention services (listed in the appendix).
- Focus groups with people bereaved by suicide about their support needs and expectations of postvention services.
- Australian experts’ reviews of these guidelines
