Strategies for the prevention of depression and suicide in schools for vulnerable children and adolescents

Abstract

Mental health vulnerability in children and adolescents results from the interaction of biological, social, and environmental factors, and is intensified by conditions such as poverty, family neglect, bullying, and domestic instability. In Brazil, the increase in depressive disorders and self-harming behaviors, worsened in the context of the pandemic, highlights the need for structured responses within the school environment. Childhood and adolescent depression compromises emotional, cognitive, and social development and may progress to suicidal ideation and attempts when not identified early. In this context, the objective of this study is to analyze strategies for the prevention of depression and suicide in schools aimed at vulnerable children and adolescents. This is a narrative bibliographic review with a qualitative approach, descriptive and exploratory in nature, conducted using databases such as Google Scholar and SciELO, considering publications between 2021 and 2026. Studies addressing risk factors, warning signs, educational impacts, and preventive proposals within the school setting were included. The results indicate that effective prevention requires early identification of signs of distress, clear institutional protocols, ongoing teacher training, socioemotional education programs integrated into the curriculum, and multiprofessional action articulated with health and social assistance services. It is concluded that prevention must constitute a permanent institutional policy, supported by qualified listening, intersectoral co-responsibility, and the systematic promotion of protective factors in daily school life, strengthening bonds, belonging, comprehensive care, and continuous monitoring of students at risk.