Suicide and Self Harm
Any child or young person who self-harms or expresses thoughts about this or about suicide must be taken seriously and appropriate help and intervention should be offered at the earliest point. Any practitioner, who is made aware that a child or young person has self-harmed, or is contemplating this or suicide, should talk with the child or young person without delay.
Young Minds, the Charlie Waller Memorial Trust and the Royal College of Psychiatrists have created a series of films and digital resource packs on self-harm. These have been created with the help of children and young people, parents and professionals - Young Minds
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Self-Harm and Suicide Alertness Workshops : are delivered over a half day to those who have direct contact with children and young people who would like to feel more confident talking about self-harm and suicide and know where and how to help them seek further support. The workshops are delivered across the County by Carlisle Eden Mind. 500 places are offered for 2018 - 19
This guidance aims to help you identify what to do, who to contact and where to get help when you have concerns about self-harm in children and young people. Self-harm can occur in childhood but it becomes increasingly common from early adolescence; for this reason, this guidance uses the term 'young people' as shorthand.
Please see Guidance for professionals working with children and young people who self-harm (PDF)
This guidance includes useful links to sources of best practice, advice, information and support. Please refer to page 12 of the guidance.
About this guidance
This guidance has been developed by a multi-agency group consisting of Cumbrian GPs, teachers, early help practitioners, Child and Adolescent Mental health professionals, staff from acute hospitals, public health doctors and members of third sector organisations. This group worked together over a period of months in response to feedback from local children and young people, their parents, professionals, and external inspections that had identified the need for a Cumbrian multi-agency pathway for self-harm.
The multi-agency pathway is an integral part of the whole system model to ensure the emotional health and wellbeing of children and young people. The pathway development group reports to the Cumbria Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health of Children and Young People Partnership Group, itself accountable to the Cumbria Children's Trust Board. It aims to be flexible and responsive to other work underway to implement the whole system model. It will be piloted over the coming months, and reviewed initially at 6 monthly intervals as the system evolves.
This self-harm guidance is one of several measures being taken across the 'whole system' to improve the emotional wellbeing and mental health of children and young people in Cumbria. Workforce development is another key element.
The training programme that accompanies this guidance will include, at level one, the self-harm and risky behaviour module of the MindEd e-learning package Please contact Michael Boaden for more information michael.boaden@cemind.org or dial 01228 543354 / 585012 (mobile 07474 801723)
FREE Self-Harm & Suicide Alertness Training Dates December 2019 (Allerdale area)
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