ABSTRACT
This chapter will mainly focus on the assessment of individuals who may be experiencing suicidal ideation and assessing the risks of such thought processes leading to suicidal behaviour. We will consider what suicidal ideation is and how it can be explored with a client to ascertain likely risks for an individual. We will proceed by considering which particular groups of individuals are at greatest risk of attempting suicide. Even while working with an individual, it is important for workers to have a broad understanding of suicide and to appreciate some of the moves to reduce suicide at a national level and be aware of some of the major initiatives (many of which are at a government level) to reduce the number of suicides. It is here we will begin.
