Experts to help children deal with incident

Education and health experts are providing support for classmates of Brandon Skeffington.

A meeting was organised last night for parents of the 39 other pupils at Our Lady’s National School in Banada, Co Sligo, to make them aware of the available supports and to advise them how they might discuss the tragedy with their own children.

The three-teacher school requested the assistance of the National Educational Psychological Service — part of the Department of Education — as the tragic news of the deaths of Brandon and his older brother Shane emerged yesterday morning.

“When schools are closed, NEPS continues to be available to support them.

“In this case, the school has requested assistance and NEPS and the HSE are working together to provide this,” a department spokesperson said.

All schools have access to guidelines and support materials to help deal with critical incidents involving students, teachers or other members of the school community.

In cases of violent death, issues that staff are told might arise include the possibility of the idea of “it could never happen here” being shattered.

The material for schools also deals with the worry that children might have, if a death occurs as a result of family violence, that the same thing could happen in their family, and parents may wonder what to say in response.

“Staff, parents, and students may be afraid that it could happen again or that it could happen to them. It is important to reassure them that these events do not happen often,” the guidelines advise schools.

The importance of giving facts in a way that is appropriate to children’s ages is also stressed, so graphic details should therefore not be given and speculation about such details is discouraged.

“Accurate information does not require that graphic details are included. Such information may play on the fears of children and young people, and is not helpful,” say the NEPS guidelines.