Suicide-Informed Practice: Foundations for a National Framework Focused on the Protection of Vulnerable Groups and Professionals’ Resilience

Suicide represents a major public health concern worldwide and nationally. Given the position of social workers as gatekeepers, their systematic involvement can contribute substantially to the early identification of suicide risk. This study presents a narrative review of articles, reports, and strategies published between 2000 and 2025 that examine the role of the social workers in suicide prevention, the vulnerabilities of at-risk groups, the existing professional needs, and the successful prevention policies and programs. The analysis was guided by Jonathan Bradshaw’s (1972) typology of social needs, examined from the perspectives of both beneficiaries and social workers, as well as within the context of existing international prevention policies. The findings highlight the significant opportunity for the social workers to be actively involved in suicide prevention, as the beneficiaries of social services face an elevated risk of suicidal behaviour. The insufficient professional training, the absence of standardized protocols and accountable organizational structures, and limited access to supervision expose these professionals to burnout and secondary trauma. The study also discusses the limitations of the approaches that fail to consider the social determinants of suicide, as well as the restriction of risk-assessment responsibilities to certain clinical professions or the ongoing stigmatization of suicide. Based on these findings, the article argues for the introduction of the concept of suicide-informed practice (SIP) and the development of a national SIP framework that would strengthen the capacity of the social, educational, and health services systems to prevent suicide and to manage its consequences when the prevention is not possible.


Keywords: suicide-informed practice, social work, suicide prevention, professional resilience,·interdisciplinary collaboration