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Former Busselton teacher Mark Cummins steps up fight for inquiry into school suicide prevention guidelines

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Bethany HiattThe West Australian
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Former St Mary Mackillop College teacher Mark Cummins pictured at Gnarabup Beach.
Camera IconFormer St Mary Mackillop College teacher Mark Cummins pictured at Gnarabup Beach. Credit: Kelsey Reid/The West Australian

A teacher who quit his job to sound the alarm over concerns WA schools are ignoring critical suicide prevention guidelines is gaining support for his call for a Parliamentary inquiry.

Mark Cummins and three other staff members recently resigned from Busselton’s St Mary MacKillop College after the death of a student last year, claiming it failed to notify parents or put risk-management plans in place when students disclosed thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

As revealed by The West Australian, they alleged the college failed to follow protocols known as the School Response and Planning Guidelines for Students with Suicidal Behaviour and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury. The college and Catholic Education WA have rejected the claims.

Mr Cummins says he has since discovered staff at many other schools are also unaware of the guidelines.

He has won the backing of South West MP and Shadow Treasurer Steve Thomas, who helped lodge an e-petition on Friday calling for Parliament to hold an inquiry into “the extent all schools in WA adopted and complied with” the guidelines since they were endorsed in 2018 by all three educational sectors — Catholic, public and independent.

Dr Thomas, who is also the leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, said the petition focused on whether the agreed protocols were actually being applied — and whether the Education Department was monitoring the compliance of individual schools.

“Because anecdotally it would appear to be very much on a school-by-school basis, despite the fact this is a universally accepted strategy,” Dr Thomas said.

“When you get people saying they work in a school where they don’t seem to know the guidelines even exist, then there’s obviously an issue.”

Hon Dr Steve Thomas MLC, talks to the media on the economic state of WA, the State Budget and COVID.
Camera IconSouth West MP Steve Thomas pictured outside Parliament. Credit: Daniel Wilkins/The West Australian

“The Education Department needs to assure itself and reassure the community that the guidelines are being properly applied across the board, and that’s the step that the petition is particularly focused on.”

“I would have thought that the Education Department should be doing those things. And if they’re not, we want to know”

Dr Thomas said lodging the petition in the upper house meant the government was formally required to respond.

Mr Cummins said he believed many schools had failed to adopt or comply with the critical guidelines.

“I think we deserve answers.,” he said. “These are our kids, this is our money, these are our schools. This is not good enough.”

“Governance within each sector has failed to regulate and audit their schools to ensure compliance and ensure that our children are receiving the necessary supports when they are at their most vulnerable.”

“The consequences of these failures are immeasurable and devastating across the State.

“I want answers and an explanation as to why so many families have been let down and I am willing to fight for that and accept the cost.”

Education Minister Sue Ellery has previously said she had asked the Education Department to inquire into the concerns raised by Mr Cummins and to work with CEWA to make sure any issues identified were addressed.

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  • Young people seeking support can phone beyondblue on 1300 22 4636 or go to headspace.org.au

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