News Release, 17 January 2004
The National Inquiry into self-harm among young people, jointly run by The Camelot Foundation and The Mental Health Foundation, is today launching its second interim report, which reveals that both education professionals and young people would like specific information and advice about self-harm, to be provided in all schools across the UK.
Currently, government strategies promoting better health and emotional well-being for young people in schools do not include self-harm. The Inquiry has learnt that young people want self-harm to be discussed within schools, to help dispel the fears and misunderstandings that surround the behaviour. Self-harm is still a taboo subject. Consequently young people who self-harm often keep it hidden and do not seek help, fearing the reactions they may encounter.
Education professionals assert that training is essential to ensure that self-harm is understood, to rid any existing fears or misunderstandings. The Inquiry discovered that the pattern of training provision for education professionals on self-harm is at best patchy and considered inadequate.
Chair of the Inquiry, Catherine McLoughlin CBE, says: “Education professionals do not know where to get information regarding self-harm. It is vital that these basic needs are met through the provision of training and information packs, so that young people in contact with education professionals will get the right response, a supportive response.”
However, the young people consulted do not want education professionals to take on a counselling role. But the report asserts that schools provide an appropriate setting in which young people would like to see external individuals and organisations, independent of schools, provide information and advice.
Project Manager of the National Inquiry, Dr Marcia Brophy, says: “It appears that young people want schools to play a very involved role in providing information and advice about self-harm. But with education professionals under such pressure, external help is needed to support the 1 in 10 teenagers in the UK who are hurting themselves in order to cope with their emotional problems
The Inquiry, due to complete in Autumn 2005, has a number of aims, including:
- To educate and raise awareness about self-harm
- To shift towards a non-alienating culture for people who self-harm
- To provide training and practice guidelines for individuals and organisations who work with young people who self harm
- To make policy recommendations
Return to news releases 2005
For further information and interview requests contact please contact the press office on 020 7803 1105 / 1128 or email the press office
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