Lesson 2 of 9 · About 3 minutes
When a student tells you
What to say and do in the first few minutes, so the student keeps talking to adults.
You don’t need to fix it on the spot. The first few minutes are about listening, keeping the student safe and passing it on.
Stay calm and thank them
Thank the student for telling you. A calm response tells them they did the right thing.
Check they are safe right now
Make sure they are safe today and have an adult to go to. Watch for signs of distress or self-harm.
Be honest about who you’ll tell
Don’t promise to keep it secret. Explain kindly who you will tell and why.
Leave their phone with them
Don’t take their phone, and don’t ask them to delete anything. The messages are evidence.
Check yourself
Show the answer
Answer: “Thank you for telling me. I can’t keep this secret, but I’ll explain who I need to tell and why.” Thank them, check they’re safe, and be honest about who you’ll tell. Don’t ask them to delete anything; the messages are evidence.
Remember
- Listen, thank the student and stay calm.
- Don’t promise to keep it secret. Explain who you will tell and why.
- Don’t take their phone or ask them to delete anything.