The parents of a 14-year-old boy who took his own life 18 years ago say Guernsey still has a “long way to go” when it comes to suicide awareness and support.
Mandy and Colin Le Bachelet’s, whose son Jean-Pierre – also known as JP – died on 19 June 2008, have gone onto work in groups helping others who have experienced loss.
Mandy said over the years issues around suicide have got better but more work was needed in Guernsey, especially around education.
Health and Social Care committee member Sally Rochester, who is the deputy in charge of mental health, said there was a “huge demand” for services and improvements were dependent on resources.
The family spoke days after Guernsey’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy said there had been “real progress”, particularly for children and young adults.
However, Mandy said: “I think there’s still a long way to go.
“Although schools are trying their best, I don’t think there’s enough done in education, because especially after Covid you had a lot of children suffering with anxiety.
“There’s a support worker in there, but the schools are getting so large now, they’ve reduced our schools made them bigger.”
The family discovered JP began self-harming at the age of 13 and it was at this point they started getting support from Guernsey Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).
Mandy said: “He was having weekly sessions and I would go with him for the first two or three and then you have sessions on their own and then it was a locum, he decided that JP was fine, had enough sessions went to monthly.
“I was a bit very reluctant, and I think JP was to a certain extent, we changed it fortnightly, and that same evening or the next day, JP had an attempt on his life.”
Colin added: “We’re not really sure if that helped and obviously it didn’t in the end, but I think he resented going to it.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this story, information and support can be found at the BBC’s Action Line.
Following JP’s death, his parents said they found it hard to find people to talk to about their loss.
As someone who knew what it was like losing a loved one to suicide, Mandy has been able to provide support for people over the years who found themselves in a similar situation, which led to the couple launching Guernsey Suicide Awareness.
The group, which ceased operations in May, helped people affected by suicide and succeeded in campaigns including having a states member dedicated to mental health.
On the announcement of its closure on social media, the group said its Talking Benches at various locations around the island would continue to exist, and signposted people to Guernsey Mind for future help.
Mandy added it was important to understand what is going on in someone’s head when they feel suicidal.
“We were given some training which took us on the path of somebody who had suicide in mind and they’ve got this tunnel,” she said.
“This tunnel might be a year long or it might only be a month long but it takes you to how they’re feeling and they’ve done that through research of people who have almost got there, and have been pulled back.”
Mandy and Colin Le Bachelets said they struggled to find other people who had similar experiences following the death of JP [BBC]
Mandy said there are lots of groups and charities doing amazing work such as Guernsey Mind.
She said: “I really feel that we have made steps and CAMHS has made steps.
“I went to a presentation and I was really moved by it.
“I said if this had been the way things had been done 18 years ago, then JP might be sitting here now with us, but it wasn’t, and that’s life.”
CAMHS has been approached for comment.
‘Limitations’
As part of Guernsey’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, there are plans to look at Guernsey’s participation in the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health.
The strategy’s 2025 annual report said: “After consideration, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Technical Team agreed not to continue with this scheme and instead, develop and establish a local group of Suicide and Suspected Suicide Review Panels.”
Rochester said: “I think our ability to improve our mental health services across the board is dependent on resources, so that’s a limitation.
“We have huge demand for mental health services in Guernsey.
“We have waiting lists in relation to ADHD, autism diagnoses and we have smaller waiting lists for healthy minds, which is an excellent service offered by Health and Social Care.”
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