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Contents
Preface
4Chapter One: Introduction
Definition of a Crisis 6
Assessing the Impact of Crisis Incident on Students and Staff 6
Basic Principles of Crisis Management and Psychological Support 6
Chapter Two: The School Crisis Management Team
Objectives and Functions of the School Crisis Management Team 8
Composition of the School Crisis Management Team 9
Members of the School Crisis Management Team 10
Roles and Duties of the Members of the School Crisis Management Team 10
Preparatory Work for School Crisis Management 14
Chapter Three: School Crisis Management and Psychological Support
Coordination and Division of Work in School Crisis Management 15
An Overview of Crisis Management and Psychological Support: Tasks and Persons Responsible 15
The Flow Chart of Crisis Management and Support 17
1. Verifying information 18
2. Notifying the School Supervisor and the Regional Education Office of Education Bureau 18
3. Conducting School Crisis Management Team Meeting 18
4. Liaising with Outside Agencies for Support 22
5. Support to Staff 23
6. Support to Students 27
7. Support to Parents 41
8. Participating in Memorial Activities and Funeral 44
9. Handling the Media 44
10. Evaluation of Crisis Management 46
References
502
Annexes
Templates and Forms
55Preparatory Work for School Crisis Management
Annex 1: Directory of Support and Services 57
Annex 2: Designated Use of Rooms 58
School Crisis Management Team Meeting
Annex 3: Agenda for School Crisis Management Team Meeting 59
Annex 4: Initial Impact Assessment for Students and Staff 60
Support to Staff
Annex 5: Agenda for Staff Meeting 63
Annex 6: Reminders for Teachers 64
Annex 7: Content of Emotional Support Group for Staff 65
Support to Students
Annex 8: Announcement to Students (Sample 1) 68
Annex 9: Announcement to Students (Sample 2) 69
Annex 10: Content of Brief Class Meeting 70
Annex 11: Content of Special Class Period 71
Annex 12: Brief Class Meeting/Special Class Period: Teachers’ Feedback Form 73
Annex 13: Content of Group Counselling for Students 74
Annex 14: Content of Individual Counselling for Students 77
Support to Parents
Annex 15: Special Notice to Parents (Sample 1) 78
Annex 16: Special Notice to Parents (Sample 2) 79
Annex 17: Content of Parent Meeting 80
Handling the Media
Annex 18: Press Release Sample 81
Evaluation of Crisis Management
Annex 19: Agenda for Crisis Management Evaluation Meeting 82
Annex 20: Crisis Management and Support Measures Evaluation Questionnaire 83
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Reference Materials
Reference 1A: Common Initial Post-crisis Reactions (Children) 85
Reference 1B: Common Initial Post-crisis Reactions (Adolescents) 87
Reference 1C: Common Initial Post-crisis Reactions (Adults) 89
Reference 1D: Continuous and/or Serious Reactions Triggered by Crisis Incident 91 Reference 2: How Should Teachers Respond to Students’ Possible Reactions 92
Reference 3: Coping Strategies 97
Reference 4: Relaxation Exercise 98
Reference 5: How Can Parents Help their Children Cope with Crisis Incident 100 Reference 6: Frequently Asked Questions on How Can Parents Help their Children Handle Emotions 102
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Preface
Crisis management is a challenging task. In order to stay calm in critical situations, we should always be well prepared. The Education Bureau (EDB, the then Education and Manpower Bureau) issued the Ebook on School Crisis Management in April 2005, which provided the education sector and relevant professionals references on crisis management and support. Based on the experiences that the EDB and relevant professionals accumulated over the years in assisting schools in managing crises, as well as the continuous development in the research and studies relating to school crisis management, we have enriched the Ebook on School Crisis Management and published this School Crisis Management: Handbook of aftermath intervention and psychological support. It aims at facilitating schools to match the needs of students, staff, parents and schools with appropriate crisis management and psychological support, with a view to helping these individuals overcome crises and the schools resume normal routine. For immediate handling of accidents or emergency situations, please refer to the related parts of the School Administration Guide. For management of students’ suicidal behaviours, please refer to the Resource Handbook for Schools: Detecting, Supporting and Making Referral for Students with Suicidal Behaviours at the following link:
EDB Homepage > Teachers Related > Prevention of Student Suicides and Promotion of Student Mental Health
https://www.edb.gov.hk/attachment/en/teacher/prevention-of-student- suicides/Resource_Handbook_for_Schools_En.pdf
Chapter 1 of this handbook introduces the basic principles of school crisis management and the arrangement of psychological support. Chapter 2 provides an overview of the establishment, operation and preparatory work of the School Crisis Management Team.
Chapter 3 elaborates on the assessment, intervention and support measures which should be carried out following crisis incidents. Relevant forms and templates are included in the Annexes for schools’ reference and use.
Schools are encouraged to make reference to this handbook and, when necessary, make appropriate modifications and adjustments according to schools’ needs, and formulate support plans for various types of crisis. Before the occurrence of crisis incidents, schools should familiarise themselves with the crisis management and support procedures, as well as the actual operational details that require due attention. Schools are also advised to organise regular staff training and drills so as to equip staff with the knowledge and skills to help schools get
5 through crises.
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Chapter One: Introduction
Definition of a Crisis
In the wake of a crisis, an individual’s resilience is compromised in a way that the usual coping strategies are inadequate to deal with the threat.
Events that might precipitate a crisis in schools include suicide or self-harm behaviours, sudden or accidental death and critical injury of a student or staff, as well as violent incidents and natural disasters. These incidents may bring chaos to a school and threaten its stability, making students and staff feel threatened, upset, insecure, helpless, etc. Besides, rumours often spread after crisis incidents while subjective and arbitrary remarks may further traumatise students and staff. In the meantime, the school concerned often has to provide information to different stakeholders. All of the above situations may induce great pressure on the school administration system. Schools should implement contingency measures to minimise the negative impacts of the incident.
Assessing the Impact of the Crisis Incident on Students and Staff
It is the interaction effects of various factors rather than a single factor that determine the impact of the crisis incident on people. The factors can be grouped into two categories (a) the characteristics of the crisis incident and (b) the personal risk factors. We also need to understand the responses of students and staff to assess the impact of the crisis on them.
The characteristics of a crisis incident can include the predictability, duration, intensity and consequences of the crisis incident. Generally speaking, crisis incidents that happen unexpectedly, persist for a long time and cause deaths/serious injuries may be perceived as threatening to most people. The estimated degree of impact is also affected by personal risk factors which include physical proximity, emotional proximity and personal vulnerabilities.
Generally speaking, individuals who have witnessed the crisis or stayed at the scene, individuals who have a closer relationship with the victim, individuals with mental health problems, or individuals with less social support and weak coping skills could be more affected by the incident (Brock, 2011). Schools can assess the psychological and emotional impact of the incident on students and staff with reference to Annex 4 and determine the appropriate support measures for them. For details of support plans and measures, schools can refer to Chapter 3 of this handbook.
Basic Principles of Crisis Management and Psychological Support
When facing a crisis, it is common for students and staff to have various emotional, cognitive, physiological, social and behavioural reactions e.g. feeling upset, difficulty in
7 concentration, feeling fatigued, having poor appetite, etc (See Reference 1A, 1B, 1C). In most situations, these reactions subside after a few days or weeks as a process of natural recovery.
In the initial stage after the crisis, basic support includes assisting the affected students and staff to clarify facts of the crisis incident and cope with the crisis impact. Teachers or school counsellors should provide appropriate psychoeducation, for example teaching coping strategies, and strengthen their social support system, for example the support from families, teachers and friends.
However, some students and staff may be more severely affected, such as experiencing persistent difficulty in falling asleep, frequent nightmares, or repeated flashbacks of the incident to the extent that their daily life is affected (See Reference 1D). Therefore, schools need to keep observing and assessing the needs of students and staff. Group or individual counselling may also be provided as deemed necessary to help them relieve their distress and resume normal life.
There are multiple factors determining the crisis impact on students and staff, including the characteristics of the crisis incident, relationship with the victim, individual’s coping skills, etc. Facing the same crisis incident, different people will be affected to a varying degree. Inappropriate intervention or providing the same mode/ level of support for individuals with different degrees of impact may affect their natural recovery process. On the other hand, the lack of timely/ appropriate support to those in need may delay their recovery process. Therefore, it is important to assess the crisis impact on different students and staff to identify individuals in need and provide them with appropriate support.
In addition, the crisis impact on students and staff may change over time. Schools need to keep observing and assessing the needs of individuals at different periods (e.g. a few hours, a few days and a few weeks after the crisis incident) and arrange appropriate support accordingly.
Overall, schools should have adequate preparation to accurately assess the impact of the incident on students and staff, so that timely and appropriate intervention and support can be rendered in time of a crisis.
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Chapter Two: The School Crisis Management Team
Objectives and Functions of the School Crisis Management Team
According to the “School Administration Guide”, schools have to set up the School Crisis Management Team (SCMT) to establish mechanisms for effective handling of crises and formulate relevant procedures and contingency plans for any potential crises and emergency situations. When a crisis incident takes place, the SCMT is also responsible for coordinating and deploying both internal and external resources, to arrange timely and appropriate psychological support, with a view to minimise the impact of the incident on the school and its students and staff. This chapter provides an overview of the objectives and functions of the SCMT:
Objectives of the School Crisis Management Team
Safety: to ensure the safety of all students and staff.
Stability: to re-establish stability of the school routines as soon as possible.
Information Dissemination: to ensure the consistency of information in and outside school and to eliminate the spread of rumours, so as to avoid causing unnecessary distress to students and staff.
Identification: to identify at-risk students and staff for referral to appropriate counselling and follow-up services.
Emotional Support: to provide emotional support to students and staff in distress and help them readjust to their lives.
Empowerment: to enhance the personal growth of students and staff through effective coping with the incident.
Functions of the School Crisis Management Team
Formulate a crisis management support plan;
Assess the impact of the crisis incident on the school;
Collect and disseminate updated information of the crisis incident and make clarification when necessary;
Coordinate internal and external resources, and provide timely and appropriate intervention and support;
Provide support to teachers, students and parents;
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Monitor the progress of crisis management;
Evaluate the crisis management support plan;
Coordinate all the follow-up work.
Composition of the School Crisis Management Team
The school principal should play a leading and monitoring role in crisis management.
He/she has to assign tasks appropriately, have a good grasp of the progress of intervention and handle external enquiries. As the school principal may have to make multiple important decisions within a short period, he/she should reserve adequate time for oneself. We recommend that the team leader of the SCMT to be someone at the school management level, e.g. the vice-principal, or a senior teacher who is familiar with the overall operations of the school. The team leader needs to lead the SCMT and keep close contact with the school principal for making relevant important decisions. Schools should select suitable teachers to work with the team leader. They will be responsible for supporting the staff, communicating with parents, and liaising with supporting agencies etc. School social workers and educational psychologists are required to be members of the team, providing professional advices, support and follow-up services according to the nature of crisis. Schools should nominate at least one or two staff to join the team as back-up support, so as to enhance the team’s operational flexibility and capabilities in handling crises.
Composition of the SCMT:
Team Leader Staff
Liaison In-charge
Parents Liaison In-charge
Community Liaison In-charge
School Social Worker/
Guidance Teacher
Educational Psychologist
Other Members School Principal
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Members of the School Crisis Management Team
Schools could consider the following factors for selecting appropriate staff to be members of the SCMT:
Does he/she gain the trust of the students and staff?
Does he/she have the ability to analyse problems and make rational decisions in urgent situations?
Is he/she equipped with the relevant knowledge and skills related to crisis management?
Is he/she sensitive to the feelings and needs of others?
Roles and Duties of the Members of the School Crisis Management Team
Team Leader Roles:
Lead the team members to formulate a crisis management support plan;
Make important decisions relating to the crisis management;
Oversee and coordinate actions relating to the crisis management.
Duties:
Verify information from relevant parties (e.g. the number of casualties, the severity of injuries or condition of students);
Maintain close contact with the school principal and consult his/her advice;
Seek support from the EDB and/or relevant government departments/other organisations;
Gather the members of the SCMT and activate the crisis management procedures;
Consult the staff liaison in-charge about the support to staff;
Consult the parents liaison in-charge about the support to parents;
Coordinate responses to the media, assign a spokesperson to disseminate information to and answer enquires from the public;
Conduct an evaluation meeting of the crisis management and support plan after the crisis is settled.
Staff Liaison In-charge
Roles:
Coordinate the support to staff
11 Duties:
Establish a phone contact group so that information can be disseminated as soon as possible after a crisis has occurred (e.g. basic information on the crisis incident, arrangements for emergency meetings, etc.);
Arrange and assist the school principal in conducting the Staff Meeting;
Keep staff informed of the latest situation of the crisis incident;
Coordinate the implementation of Brief Class Meeting(s) or Special Class Period(s), including:
arrange manpower to support class teachers who need assistance;
prepare and distribute materials for use in Brief Class Meeting(s) or Special Class Period(s);
oversee the implementation of Brief Class Meeting(s) and/or Special Class Period(s) and provide immediate assistance when necessary.
Parents Liaison In-charge Roles:
Coordinate the support to the victim’s family;
Coordinate communication with other parents.
Duties:
Contact and offer support to the victim’s family;
Contact parents of students affected by the incident;
Prepare and distribute the Letter to Parents;
Arrange a spokesperson to answer parents’ enquiries and conduct Parent Meetings if necessary.
Community Liaison In-charge Roles:
Coordinate external resources to provide support to the school, staff and students.
Duties:
Maintain an updated list of community resources, including a directory of support and services (Annex 1);
Familiarise himself/herself with the referral procedures and services offered by different agencies in the community;
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Discuss with team members to see if external support is needed;
Make/assist in making referrals for students, staff or parents in need of external support services;
Keep contact with the related agencies after referrals, so that assistance and follow-up support can be provided at school.
School Social Worker/Guidance Teacher Roles:
Support the school in crisis management, especially in rendering counselling/guidance to students, staff and parents.
Duties:
Work together with external support personnel to arrange or provide counselling to students and staff in need, and make referrals for appropriate follow-ups when necessary;
Assist teachers in conducting Brief Class Meeting(s) or Special Class Period(s);
Provide emotional support to staff;
Provide emotional support to parents;
Arrange practical support to the victim’s family, e.g. applying for financial subsidy.
Educational Psychologist
Roles:
Provide professional advice and support on school crisis management
Duties:
Provide professional advice and support to the school on the impact assessment of the crisis, formulation of the support plan and communication with external parties;
Support teachers in conducting Brief Class Meeting(s) or Special Class Period(s);
Provide individual or group counselling to students and assist the school in arranging appropriate follow-up services;
Provide emotional support to staff.
13 Other Team Members
Roles:
Share the duties in rendering support related to crisis management
Duties:
Designate rooms for different uses and inform the staff concerned of the arrangement (Annex 2);
Assist class teachers in conducting Brief Class Meeting(s) or Special Class Period(s);
Assist in preparing and distributing materials for use in Brief Class Meeting(s) or Special Class Period(s);
Familiarise themselves with all procedures and the locations of relevant materials/forms, and provide the materials to other members promptly when necessary;
Provide secretarial support, e.g. taking minutes, collecting and compiling relevant information, and drafting relevant letters and notices;
Assist other team members with their duties when necessary.
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Preparatory Work for School Crisis Management
Apart from setting up a SCMT, schools should provide training for all staff members to acquire and consolidate knowledge and skills in crisis management. The SCMT should also update relevant reference materials regularly for use by the staff. Schools can make reference to the templates and forms in the Annexes of this handbook:
Preparatory Work for School Crisis Management Annex 1: Directory of Support and Services
Annex 2: Designated Use of Rooms
School Crisis Management Team Meeting
Annex 3: Agenda for School Crisis Management Team Meeting Annex 4: Initial Impact Assessment for Students and Staff Support to Staff
Annex 5: Agenda for Staff Meeting Annex 6: Reminders for Teachers
Annex 7: Content of Emotional Support Group for Staff Support to Students
Annex 8: Announcement to Students (Sample 1) Annex 9: Announcement to Students (Sample 2) Annex 10: Content of Brief Class Meeting Annex 11: Content of Special Class Period
Annex 12: Brief Class Meeting/Special Class Period: Teachers’ Feedback Form Annex 13: Content of Group Counselling for Students
Annex 14: Content of Individual Counselling for Students Support to Parents
Annex 15: Special Notice to Parents (Sample 1) Annex 16: Special Notice to Parents (Sample 2) Annex 17: Content of Parent Meeting
Handling the Media
Annex 18: Press Release Sample Evaluation of Crisis Management
Annex 19: Agenda for Crisis Management Evaluation Meeting
Annex 20: Crisis Management and Support Measures Evaluation Questionnaire
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Chapter Three: School Crisis Management and Psychological Support Coordination and Division of Work in School Crisis Management
It is essential for schools to coordinate the required crisis management measures systematically, coordinate staff effectively and deploy manpower when necessary for assisting students and staff to tide over crises. Schools should specify the roles and responsibilities of each member of the SCMT in accordance with the manpower allocation and the expertise of the team members, and pay attention to the coordination between each member for effective crisis management and support. Schools may refer to “An Overview of Crisis Management and Psychological Support: Tasks and Persons Responsible” set out below for the allocation of tasks among the SCMT members.
An Overview of Crisis Management and Psychological Support:
Tasks and Persons Responsible
Tasks Persons Responsible Other Assisting Members
1. Verify information SCMT leader Teacher(s) whom the
victim(s) is/are close to 2. Notify the School Supervisor
and the Regional Education Office of EDB
School principal
3. Conduct SCMT meeting SCMT leader School principal, SCMT members
4. Liaise with outside agencies for support
Community liaison in- charge,
school social worker, guidance teachers
Staff concerned
5. Support to staff
1. Conduct Staff Meeting Staff liaison in-charge,
school principal SCMT members 2. Conduct Emotional
Support Group for Staff
Guidance Master, staff liaison in-charge
School social worker, educational psychologist 6. Support to students
1. Make announcement to students
School principal, class teachers 2. Conduct Brief Class
Meeting
Class teachers, staff liaison in-charge
School social worker, guidance teachers, educational psychologist 3. Conduct Special Class
Period Class teachers,
staff liaison in-charge School social worker, guidance teachers,
16 educational psychologist 4. Provide
additional/enhanced support to students and staff in need
School social worker Guidance teachers, educational psychologist
7. Support to parents
1. Inform parents Parent liaison in-charge School social worker, guidance teachers, class teachers 2. Conduct Parent Meeting Parent liaison in-charge School principal,
guidance teachers, school social worker
3. Express sympathy to the family of the victim
Parent liaison in-charge School principal, class teacher,
school social worker, guidance teachers 8. Handling the media Spokesperson delegated
by the school
SCMT Leader 9. Evaluation of crisis management
Conduct an evaluation
meeting SCMT Leader School principal, SCMT
members
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The Flow Chart of Crisis Management/Intervention and Support
Schools should make necessary adaptations to the steps of crisis management and support, depending on the characteristics, severity and actual circumstances of individual incident.
Schools can also download and make necessary adaptations to the templates, forms and reference materials set out in the Annexes of this handbook based on their needs.
Verify information
Notify the School Supervisor and the Regional Education Office of EDB
Conduct SCMT meeting (Annex 3)
Staff (Annex 5-7)
Students (Annex 8-14)
Parents (Annex 15-17)
Media (Annex 18)
Community (Annex 1)
Conduct Staff Meeting
Arrange Emotional Support Group
Conduct evaluation meeting
Observe, evaluate and follow-up continuously (Annex 19-20)
Inform parents
Conduct Parent Meeting
Express
sympathy to the victim’s family
Seek support from outside agencies
Prepare press release
Respond to enquiries
Announce the news
Conduct Brief Class Meeting or Conduct Special Class Period
Provide individual or group
Conduct initial impact assessment of the crisis incident on students and staff
(Annex 4)
Arrange intervention and psychological support
18 When a crisis incident takes place, schools should adopt appropriate measures immediately to ensure the safety of students and staff. For example, students and staff should be provided with a safe environment, if necessary, they should be removed from the scene or adjustments should be made to the school routine to minimise the opportunities of witnessing the scene and protect them from harm. Other examples of immediate safety measures include providing food or water to meet their basic needs, and arranging medical care according to individual circumstances.
1. Verifying Information
When a school is informed of a crisis incident, the school concerned should gather basic information of the incident (e.g. persons involved, the time and location of the incident etc.) from reliable sources such as parents of the student concerned, medical or police officers.
Schools must verify the information, which will serve as the basis for the crisis’ initial impact assessment and the reference for follow-up actions.
2. Notifying the School Supervisor and the Regional Education Office of Education Bureau
The school principal should notify the School Supervisor or the designated person-in- charge of the school sponsoring body, as well as other management staff if necessary, of the incident. The Regional Education Office of EDB should also be notified as soon as possible so that the EDB can arrange appropriate support, e.g. assisting the school in responding to media enquiries.
3. Conducting a School Crisis Management Team Meeting
After collecting the details of the incident, the school should conduct a SCMT meeting as soon as possible (Annex 3). The purpose of the meeting is to inform team members of the incident and clarify the accuracy of information obtained from different sources. The school should also address the emotional reactions of the team members during the meeting and ensure that all members are able to carry out different crisis management tasks. The team should draw up a crisis management support plan which includes the implementation schedule, procedures, division of labour, etc.
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Annex 3
Agenda for School Crisis Management Team Meeting
1. Verify and update the details of the crisis incident
2. Conduct an initial impact assessment and identify at-risk students and staff (Annex 4) 3. Assess if external support or community resources are needed
4. Determine the scale, scope and target groups of support, and arrange the division of labour
Handle enquiries from the media (refer to p.44-46)
Handle enquiries from the police
Handle enquiries from parents and the public
Prepare scripts for information dissemination (Annex 8-9)
for the school principal or class teachers to make announcement to students
for staff to respond to enquiries
Discuss the support format for students
Decide on the targets of announcement (e.g. informing all students or only the affected classes)
Decide on the format of announcement (e.g. announcement made by class teachers in each class)
Arrange Brief Class Meeting or Special Class Period for students according to the assessed needs
Arrange counselling services for students who are identified to be more affected by the incident
Arrange venues
Discuss support formats for staff or parents;
Prepare for the Staff Meeting (Annex 5)
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Annex 4
Initial Impact Assessment for Students and Staff
(A) Basic information of the crisis incident
Date/Time/Location of the incident: ________________________________________
Brief Description of the incident: ________________________________________
Significant incident(s) preceding the incident:
________________________________________
________________________________________
Media coverage of the incident: ________________________________________
School’s experience in handling similar incident:
________________________________________
________________________________________
(B)Background information of the victim (if applicable):
Name of victim: ________________________________________
Sex: M / F (Please delete where appropriate)
Age: ________________________________________
Class: ________________________________________
Date of birth: ________________________________________
Home address: ________________________________________
Family background: ________________________________________
School performance:
- Academic: ________________________________________
- Social relationship: ________________________________________
- Extra-curricular activities: ________________________________________
Support services received: ________________________________________
(C) Identification of at-risk students and staff
The following questions can be used as reference to help identify at-risk students and staff.
The impact of a crisis incident is determined by the interaction effects of various factors.
Schools should consider the unique nature of each crisis incident when assessing the possible psychological and emotional disturbances incurred on students and staff and determining the corresponding intervention.
I. Physical Proximity
Who witnessed the incident (e.g. witnessing the moment when the victim falling from height)?
Who was/were present at the scene (e.g. witnessing the victim receiving first aid after the incident)?
21 Tips: The closer a person stays at the scene of the incident, the higher the risk of psychological trauma is. For instance, if a student saw a person falling from height or the student was present at the scene, the incident might have a greater impact on him/her.
(List out the at-risk class(es)/ group(s)/ students/ staff)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
II. Emotional Proximity
Who had a close/special relationship with the victim?
Who participated in the same activity or organisation as the victim did?
Tips: The closer the relationship the person has with the victim, e.g. best friends or family members, or having an unsatisfactory relationship with the victim, the higher the risk of psychological trauma he/she may have. For instance, if a beloved student died, the incident might have a greater impact on students/staff.
(List out the at-risk class(es)/ group(s)/ students/ staff)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
III. Personal Vulnerabilities
Who experienced/ have been affected by a similar critical incident in recent years?
Who experienced the loss of a significant person or other traumatic incidents in recent years?
Who used to adopt a more positive (vs. negative) attitude to cope with critical incidents?
Who could regulate their emotions more properly (vs. easily lose their emotional control)?
Who could obtain more adequate (vs. less adequate) social and/ or family support?
Tips: The more the vulnerability factors a person has (e.g. having mental health problems, lacking social/ family support or having serious family problems), the higher the risk of psychological trauma he/she may have.
(List out the at-risk students/ staff)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
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4. Liaising with Outside Agencies for Support
When a crisis incident takes place, schools should seek support from their school social workers immediately in providing counselling services to their students and staff. Schools may seek support and services from the EDB or educational psychologists when necessary.
When the school assessed that a crisis incident may have a widespread impact on students and staff, additional support from outside agencies could be sought. For example, school social workers may mobilise other social workers of their serving organisation. There are also social service organisations that can provide psychological services to schools. Schools should learn about the services from relevant organisations in advance, maintain a directory of support and services (Annex 1) and update the information regularly.
IV. Crisis Reactions (Reference 1A, 1B, 1C & 1D)
Who exhibited excessive and intense emotional reactions (e.g. excessive fear, anxiety) or even displayed warning signs of psychiatric problems (e.g. severe depression, hallucination and delusion)?
Who exhibited excessive and intense behavioural reactions (e.g. using brutal ways to ventilate anger or hurt oneself/others)?
(List out the at-risk students/ staff)
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Remarks:
1. A person who (1) is closer to the scene of the critical incident, (2) has a closer relationship with the victim, (3) has more personal vulnerability factors or (4) exhibits excessive and intense reactions may be at a higher risk of being affected by the incident. They may require additional support.
2. When a student/staff has some very vulnerable factors (e.g. suffering from mental illness) and/or exhibits excessive and intense emotional or behavioural reactions, even though he/she may not have witnessed the incident or have close relationship with the victim, schools should seek immediate advice from professionals (e.g. social workers, psychologists) to assess the impact and determine appropriate support measures.
3. The emotional, cognitive, physiological, social, and behavioural reactions of the at-risk students or staff may change over time. The school needs to observe and assess their needs continuously so that appropriate support can be offered.
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5. Support to Staff Staff Meeting
As soon as a crisis management plan is drawn up, the school principal should conduct a Staff Meeting (Annex 5) to inform all staff of the situation; to clarify the accuracy of the information obtained; to answer staff’s questions on the incident; to explain the support plan drawn up by the SCMT; and to revise the support plan according to staff opinions as appropriate. Details of the support plan must be finalised at the meeting, including the implementation schedule, procedures and division of labour. If teachers are found to be emotionally distressed, the school principal may consider assigning other teachers to carry out their duties. Assistance from school social workers or educational psychologists may also be sought to provide emotional support to them. Follow-up counselling services from outside agencies may be considered depending on the needs.
The objectives of the Staff Meeting are:
‧ to inform staff of the basic information and facts of the crisis incident;
‧ to answer queries from the staff and clear their doubts;
‧ to explain the common emotional reactions in response to a crisis incident and identify staff who are severely affected;
‧ to explain and finalise the support plan drawn up by the SCMT;
Annex 5
Agenda for Staff Meeting
1. Inform staff of the crisis incident and the school’s stance 2. Clarify facts and answer queries
3. Provide emotional support to staff
Explain the possible emotional reactions they may exhibit and show understanding on their reactions;
Identify staff who are severely affected;
Inform staff of the follow-up support available (e.g. Emotional Support Group for Staff).
4. Revise and finalise the support plan:
Discuss the support plan drawn up by the SCMT;
Finalise the implementation schedule, venues and persons-in-charge.
5. Explain the support work for students (e.g. Brief Class Meeting, Special Class Period)
Explain the content and key points
Distribute relevant documents, e.g. “Reminders for Teachers” (Annex 6) and
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“How Should Teachers Respond to Students’ Possible Reactions towards a Crisis Incident” (Reference 2)
Provide assistance to teachers in need
Annex 6
Reminders for Teachers
1. Obtain all relevant information as far as possible and take care of your own emotions before rendering support to students.
2. If you need additional support to assist you manage the students’ emotions, please inform the SCMT to make the arrangement.
3. Listen to students with patience and understanding. Accept different emotions and observe students’ emotions continuously.
4. Refer all media enquiries to the spokesperson of the school.
5. Make special arrangements and allow flexibility in the school routines if necessary, e.g. allow breaks for students during lessons or postpone tests.
Attend staff meetings and evaluation meetings to report and receive updated information.
Emotional Support Group for Staff
Emotional Support Group for Staff (Annex 7) may be organised for the affected staff at an appropriate time to help them ventilate their emotions. Follow-up support should be arranged for them after the group meeting when necessary. The Emotional Support Group for Staff can be led by a professional e.g. social worker or educational psychologist. Staff who are affected to a similar extent and/or share similar experiences should be arranged into the same group to ensure that appropriate support is provided.
The objectives of the Emotional Support Group for Staff are:
‧ to share with staff the basic information and facts of the crisis incident;
‧ to allow staff to share feelings and ventilate their emotions;
‧ to provide staff with psychoeducation and familiarise them with common crisis
25 reactions and warning signs indicating the need for further support (Reference 1C and 1D);
‧ to equip staff with the coping strategies and information on community services where they can get help from;
‧ to identify staff who need further evaluation and support; arrange referrals when necessary.
Annex 7 Content of Emotional Support Group for Staff
1. Introduce the content
Self-introduction by the guidance personnel
Briefly introduce the purposes and ground rules (including the principles of confidentiality and mutual respect, etc.) of the group.
2. Provide concise information about the incident
Report the verified facts gathered by the school;
Clarify news that are untrue, e.g. information from newspapers and internet/social media;
If the incident involves suicide, the guidance personnel should explain that the incident is under police investigation, and it is inappropriate to make any speculation. The guidance personnel should also point out that suicide is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple interacting factors and causal pathways. No single cause or stressor is sufficient to explain a suicidal act in most circumstances. At the same time, the guidance personnel should emphasise that life is precious and encourage the staff to seek help when needed.
3. Answer staff’s queries
Let staff ask questions. Avoid describing unnecessary or disturbing details when answering the questions;
Only provide verified basic information and facts;
Respond to staff’s queries as far as possible. If the answers are uncertain, get back to the staff when the answers are confirmed.
4. Encourage staff to talk about their emotional, cognitive, physiological, social and behavioural reactions
Understand their reactions by asking the following (sample) questions:
“How is your sleep quality recently? How is your appetite?”
“Can you focus on your work recently?”
“What are your thoughts and feelings now?”
Encourage staff to talk about their views and feelings at the present moment. Do not ask them to narrate or recall the process of the incident that they personally experienced. If they start to talk about
26 disturbing details, the guidance personnel should guide them to focus on sharing their reactions at the present moment.
5. Help the staff to understand the common reactions after a crisis incident and the warning signs that warrant additional support (Reference 1C, 1D)
Help them to understand that unsettling emotions such as sadness, guilt, anger are common reactions;
Help them realise that other people might also have similar experiences and reactions. They are not alone and they can offer mutual support (if applicable);
Remind them to seek help when they have enduring or intense reactions.
6. Share appropriate coping strategies after crisis
Encourage staff to share appropriate coping strategies (Reference 3)
“What would you do to comfort yourself when you feel emotionally disturbed?”
Practise relaxation techniques or other related coping strategies (Reference 4) if needed;
If the crisis incident involves suicidal behaviours, emphasise that committing suicide is not an appropriate strategy to solve problems.
7. Learn about staff’s social support network and ensure that they receive appropriate support
Understand their social support network by asking the following (sample) questions:
“How did your family react to this incident?”
“How did they talk about it with you?”
“If your negative emotions persist, whom would you talk to?
How would you seek help?”
Ensure that they can receive appropriate support
Tell them that you are willing to render support;
Help them identify their social support network, e.g. family members, friends, social worker/guidance teachers at school, so that they know where they can get help;
Encourage them to support each other, seek help from colleagues, related staff or social workers when they encounter emotional disturbance or great difficulties. If they notice colleagues who are experiencing emotional distress, they should discuss with the SCMT leader so that appropriate support and work arrangement can be offered for them;
Introduce community resources (e.g. mental health information and counseling services, etc.)
Identify staff who are lack of social support for further follow- up.
27 8. Understand and observe staff’s reactions, identify staff in need of additional follow-up and support
Identify staff who show excessively intense emotional or behavioural reactions (e.g. depressed mood, anger, blaming of self or others);
If the incident involves suicide, be aware if there are staff who identify with the suicidal behaviour of the deceased;
Refer those staff with intense emotional reactions to social workers or seek mental health/counseling services in the community if needed.
6. Support to Students
Schools should analyse the needs of individual students, classes and groups based on the characteristics and actual circumstances of individual incidents, so as to evaluate the extent of impacts on students and thus formulate different tiers of support measures for them according to their level of needs. Different tiers of support and their target groups, focus of support and their corresponding formats are listed in the following table:
28 Tier of support Target groups Focus of support Support format
General Support
Students in general
To verify facts Announcements
to Students
To verify facts
To reinforce social support network
To identify students in need of additional support
Brief Class Meeting
Mildly affected students
To verify facts
To reinforce social support network
To identify students in need of additional support
To provide psychoeducation
Special Class Period
Additional Support More affected students
To verify facts
To reinforce social support network
To identify students in need of enhanced support
To provide psychoeducation
To provide emotional counselling
Group Counselling
Enhanced Support or Referral to Mental Health
Services
Highly affected students
To verify facts
To reinforce social support network
To identify students in need of referral
To provide psychoeducation
To provide emotional counselling
To formulate individual goals and plans
Individual Counselling
To provide professional assessment and
psychological and / or medical treatment
Referral
29 Attention: In order to render appropriate support to students at different point of time after the crisis (including the same day, a few days or a few weeks later), staff should continue to observe students’ reactions and assess their needs, and provide appropriate support at different point of time.
General Support
Announcements to Students
When the preparation work of crisis management is completed, schools should inform students of the incident as soon as possible. Delayed announcement may cause unnecessary speculation and anxiety. Schools can decide on the appropriate method of announcement in regard to the nature of the incident, actual circumstances, students’ needs, etc. Schools should ensure that the information announced to students is accurate and consistent and students in need can receive appropriate support immediately. In most of the circumstances, class teachers can make the announcement to students in the classrooms, especially when suicide is involved or it is very likely that the incident may trigger strong emotional reactions among students, so that class teachers could observe students’ response closely and provide support to students in need immediately. Please note the following when making an announcement:
1. Keep it simple and direct;
2. Provide adequate information (such as class and surname of the victim) for students to identify the victim, so that the identification of students in need could be facilitated. If needed, explain to the parent of the victim that the arrangement is crucial for providing counselling to students in need;
3. Briefly explain what actions the school is taking or going to take;
4. Briefly introduce appropriate strategies to cope with the reactions brought by the crisis;
5. If the incident involves death, the school principal can give a short memorial speech;
6. If the incident involves suicide, the school should avoid describing the details of the suicidal behaviour to prevent unnecessary fear or imitative behaviour.
While maintaining a non-judgmental attitude, schools should also avoid glorifying the incident. At the same time, schools should encourage students to face difficulties with positive attitudes and remind them to seek help when needed.
30 Annex 8 Announcement to Students (Sample 1)
We received a call from the police at 7:30 this morning and were notified that three of our S2 students were injured in a traffic accident while they were on the way to school. They have been sent to the hospital and are now in stable condition. We have expressed our concerns and offered our assistance to their families. The police are investigating the incident at the moment. We should not make any speculation or draw any conclusion on the incident at this stage.
The principal and teachers are deeply shocked and saddened by this unexpected incident. We understand that you may have different feelings after being informed about this. Some of you may feel very sad, some may feel disturbed or panicky, and some of you may not have any special feelings. You may recall this incident from time to time or may be unable to concentrate on your learning temporarily. All of these are common reactions.
The principal and teachers are very concerned about all of you. If you feel like talking about this incident with us, you may come to Room . Our school social workers or teachers are all ready to listen to your thoughts and feelings.
At last, I would like to take this opportunity to express our greatest sympathy for the students injured and their families and wish them speedy recovery.
31 Annex 9 Announcement to Students (Sample 2)
This morning we heard the extremely sad news that a boy was found lying unconsciously on the podium of his residential building. He was sent to a hospital and was subsequently certified dead.
After verification, he is Mr. Chan, a student from class 5A of our school. We are all saddened by his death. The police are conducting an investigation at the moment. We should not make any speculation or draw any conclusion on the incident at this stage.
We understand that you may have different feelings after being informed about this. Some of you may feel very sad, some may feel disturbed or panicky, and some of you may not have any special feelings. You may recall this incident from time to time or may be unable to concentrate on your learning temporarily. All of these are common reactions.
We may encounter adversity in our life. When you feel stressed, we hope you adopt a positive attitude and seek help from others. You may also talk with your parents, social workers or teachers. If you want to talk to the school social workers or teachers regarding the incident, you may go to ________ (the venue). We are willing to listen to all your thoughts and feelings.
At last, I would like to take this opportunity to express our deepest sorrow and hope that his family members could settle their emotion soon. Let us close our eyes and offer a moment of silence for him.
Brief Class Meeting
Students may have doubts about the crisis after its occurrence. Therefore, schools may organise Brief Class Meeting to give them the basic information of the incident and answer their questions. By doing so, students can acknowledge the facts. The schools can minimise the speculation among students and continue to observe their emotional and behavioural reactions. Schools are advised to gather the accurate information of the crisis incident in advance so that the class teachers can answer students’ questions during the Brief Class Meeting. In case of emotional disturbance of students, schools should evaluate
32 students’ needs and provide appropriate support to them, e.g. arrange group or individual emotional counselling.
Objectives of Brief Class Meeting are as follows:
Inform students of the basic information and facts about the crisis incident;
Answer questions related to the crisis incident raised by students to dispel their worries;
Inform students of the ways to seek help;
Identify students who need further support.
Annex 10 Content of Brief Class Meeting
1. Provide concise information about the incident
Report the verified facts gathered by the school
Clarify news that are untrue, e.g. information from newspapers
If the incident involves suicide, teachers should explain that the incident is under police investigation and it is inappropriate to make any speculation.
Teachers should also point out that suicide is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple interacting factors and causal pathways. No single cause or stressor is sufficient to explain a suicidal act in most circumstances.
At the same time, teachers should emphasise that life is precious and students should actively seek help when they encounter difficulties
2. Answer students’ queries
Let students ask questions. Avoid describing unnecessary or disturbing details when answering the questions;
Only provide verified basic information and facts;
Answer students' questions as far as possible. If teachers are uncertain or do not know the answers of the questions instantly, clarify and get back to the students later;
Do not ask students to recall/share their crisis experiences.
3. Introduce channels to seek help, for example, they can seek help from the school guidance personnel, teachers or parents.
4. Understand and observe students’ reactions, identify students in need of additional follow-up and support
Identify students who show excessively intense emotional or behavioural reactions (e.g. depressed mood, anger, blaming of self or others)
Observe reactions of students who have close relationship with the victim (good friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, siblings or peers with unsatisfactory relationship with the victim)
Refer students in need of additional support to school guidance personnel
33 Special Class Period
After the crisis incident, apart from providing basic support to the majority of the students, such as reporting facts in the abovementioned Brief Class Meeting, schools should arrange Special Class Period to students who are possibly mildly affected. At the initial stage after the crisis incident, it is common for students to experience emotional, cognitive, physiological, social and behavioural changes (Refer to Reference 1A and 1B). Schools can make use of the Special Class Period to provide students with psychoeducation, to teach them the common cognitive, emotional and behavioural reactions, coping strategies and ways to seek help, as well as to continue observing their reactions. If it is noticed in the process that some students suffer from more significant emotional disturbance, schools can arrange additional support to them, e.g. arrange group or individual counselling.
In general, it is more appropriate for class teachers to conduct the Special Class Period in the classroom. Since class teachers know the students more and they are the adults whom students are more familiar with, they can notice students’ emotional reactions and changes more easily, and students tend to be more willing to express their thoughts and feelings to their class teachers. Thus, it is more appropriate for the class teachers to conduct the Special Class Period. If the teachers in charge need assistance from guidance teachers in conducting the Special Class Period, schools should make arrangements accordingly.
Objectives of Special Class Period are as follows:
Inform students of the basic information and facts about the crisis incident;
Provide psychoeducation to students on the common crisis reactions and warning signs indicating the need for further support;
Inform students of the coping strategies and ways to seek help;
Identify students who need further follow-up and support.
Annex 11 Content of Special Class Period
1. Provide concise information about the incident
Report the verified facts gathered by the school;
Clarify news that are untrue, e.g. information from newspapers;
If the incident involves suicide, teachers should point out that the incident is under police investigation and it is inappropriate to make any speculation.
Teachers should also point out that suicide is a complex phenomenon influenced by multiple interacting factors and causal pathways. No single cause or stressor is sufficient to explain a suicidal act in most circumstances.
At the same time, teachers should emphasise that life is precious and students should actively seek help when they encounter difficulties
34 2. Answer students’ queries
Let students ask questions. Avoid describing unnecessary or disturbing details when answering the questions;
Only provide verified basic information and facts;
Answer students' questions as far as possible. If teachers are uncertain or do not know the answers of the questions instantly, clarify and get back to the students later;
Do not ask students to recall/share their crisis experiences.
3. Prepare students for the common reactions after crisis incident
Emphasise shock, sadness, self-blaming, anger and unsettling reactions, etc.
are common responses; (References 1A and 1B);
State that different people react to the same incident in different ways;
students should respect the different crisis reactions of peers;
Remind students the importance to seek help when they display enduring warning signs or excessively intense reactions (Reference 1D).
4. Share proper coping strategies and channels to seek help with students (Reference 3 and 4)
Teach adaptive coping strategies (e.g. relaxation techniques and seeking social support);
If the incident involves suicidal behaviours, emphasise that committing suicide is not an appropriate coping strategy;
Learn about students’ social support network to ensure that they are able to receive appropriate support;
Share channels to seek help with students, for example, they can seek help from the school guidance personnel, teachers or parents;
Encourage students to seek help from their family or teachers as soon as possible when they experience emotional disturbance or encounter difficulties.
5. Understand and observe students’ reactions, identify students in need of additional follow-up and support
Identify students who show excessively intense emotional or behavioural reactions (e.g. depressed mood, anger, blaming of self or others);
Observe reactions of students who have close relationship with the victim (good friends, boyfriend/girlfriend, siblings or peers with unsatisfactory relationship with the victim);
If the crisis incident involves suicide, be aware if there are students who identify with the suicidal behaviour of the deceased
Refer students with strong emotional reactions to school social worker or guidance teachers
Teachers can refer to Reference 2 for suggestions for responding to students’
emotional reactions towards a crisis incident.
35 Teachers’ Feedback after Brief Class Meeting / Special Class Period
After the Brief Class Meeting / Special Class Period, teachers in charge can fill in the Feedback Form and pass it to the SCMT for discussion and follow-up at the Evaluation Meeting.
Annex 12 Brief Class Meeting/ Special Class Period *: Teachers’ Feedback Form
(* Delete whichever is inappropriate)
Please complete the following and pass the completed form to _____________.
Date: ________________________
Class: ________________________
Class Teacher/ Person-in-charge: ________________________
1. Did any student show strong emotional reactions or unusual behaviours in class periods?
□ Yes Please specify:
□ No
2. Is/Are there any student(s) in need of referral for follow-up support?
□ Yes Name of Student(s):
□ No
3. What are students’ views or reactions towards this crisis incident?
________________________________________________________________
4. What are your opinion on leading the class periods?
Length of time was appropriate: Agree Disagree Documents & reference materials provided are useful: Agree Disagree Did you encounter any difficulties?
Yes, please specify:______________________________________________
No
5. Other suggestions/ observations:
________________________________________________________________
Additional Support
Group Counselling
Schools are advised to consider providing additional support to individual students,
36 groups or classes which are much affected. When necessary, students can be divided into groups for small group counselling according to the severity of disturbance, the experiences in the incident or the degree of intimacy with victim, e.g. teammates of school teams and good friends. Group counselling should be led by professionals (e.g. social workers or psychologists). The number of people in a group should be limited to 8 to 10. In addition, guidance personnel should maintain close communication with parents and provide follow-up support on students’ needs after group counselling. If students with significant distress/
intense emotional reactions are identified during the group counselling, apart from arranging individual counselling conducted by school social workers or psychologists for them immediately, schools may consider referring them to medical or mental health professionals.
Objectives of group counselling are as follows:
Inform students of the basic information and facts about the crisis incident;
Let students share their feelings and express their emotions;
Provide psychoeducation to students on the common crisis reactions and warning signs indicating the need for further support;
Inform students of the coping strategies and ways to seek help;
Identify students who need follow-up and support.
