Does your school offer adequate support for those who self-harm?
The number of school pupils harming themselves is higher than ever, but there are fewer resources within schools to offer support to those affected, says a report by Radio 1 Newsbeat.
The article says:
NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-years-olds admitted to hospital because of self harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools.
The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year.
According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.
What's been your experience at school? Do you know if those who self harm are getting the support they need? Is it something that's even talked about by teachers?
The article says:
NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-years-olds admitted to hospital because of self harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools.
The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year.
According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.
What's been your experience at school? Do you know if those who self harm are getting the support they need? Is it something that's even talked about by teachers?
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Original post by shooks
The number of school pupils harming themselves is higher than ever, but there are fewer resources within schools to offer support to those affected, says a report by Radio 1 Newsbeat.
The article says:
NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-years-olds admitted to hospital because of self harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools.
The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year.
According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.
What's been your experience at school? Do you know if those who self harm are getting the support they need? Is it something that's even talked about by teachers?
The article says:
NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-years-olds admitted to hospital because of self harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools.
The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year.
According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.
What's been your experience at school? Do you know if those who self harm are getting the support they need? Is it something that's even talked about by teachers?
Homeschooled, but yes I don't think there's enough support at all in general for people who self-harm/are depressed and there's too much " it's selfish,cowardly, stupid I don't really understand why you would self-harm" opinions.
Not really the answer you were looking for but yeah
Original post by shooks
The number of school pupils harming themselves is higher than ever, but there are fewer resources within schools to offer support to those affected, says a report by Radio 1 Newsbeat.
The article says:
NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-years-olds admitted to hospital because of self harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools.
The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year.
According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.
What's been your experience at school? Do you know if those who self harm are getting the support they need? Is it something that's even talked about by teachers?
The article says:
NHS figures obtained by BBC Newsbeat show a 20% rise in the number of 10 to 19-years-olds admitted to hospital because of self harm injuries across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The government says it has asked experts to examine how to tackle self-harming and related issues in schools.
The NHS figures show the number of hospital admissions rose from 22,978 in 2012-13 to 28,730 in the following year.
According to the National Association of Head Teachers and the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, spending cuts to local services have left schools without as much expert medical help as in the past.
What's been your experience at school? Do you know if those who self harm are getting the support they need? Is it something that's even talked about by teachers?
I remember a girl in my year cut herself so badly that the teachers who taught her had to make sure that she wasn't near anything sharp in case she got triggered. Anyway, as an ex self harmer, I don't know why people jump to the conclusion that self harmers are attention seeking. That girl in my year used to get called emo and the teachers didn't even see her in the same way afterwards which is just sad because she just wanted help. I would not want attention like that at all
(edited 9 years ago)
I don't think there's a massive amount schools can offer? Counselling and real help are just outside of their jurisdiction and training
for what they can do, I think my school did very well, there were people I knew I could go and talk to, I had an exit card for my lessons, they made sure I wasn't out anywhere alone
teachers aren't mental health workers and like normal people they vary in their reactions, some are fantastic and others aren't
for what they can do, I think my school did very well, there were people I knew I could go and talk to, I had an exit card for my lessons, they made sure I wasn't out anywhere alone
teachers aren't mental health workers and like normal people they vary in their reactions, some are fantastic and others aren't
I've had both a positive and negative experience with it.
At my previous secondary school, I didn't get much help for it and kind of went under the radar so it was often never followed up upon if I had got help. If I remember correctly, I had one talk about it with a head of year in year 8 and it was never mentioned again and I wasn't offered much further help.
At my current sixth form, the help I've got is much better. I received some support sessions in school about it and my teachers were notified in a way I personally found appropriate and tailored to my needs (e.g not fully telling them all that was wrong but enough for them to be aware) and were assured I would still be working to the best ability I could manage at that time. The teacher I went to first about now asks me how I am and if I need to talk when she sees me around school which is nice.
At my current school it wasn't really discussed much with my teachers (although a few did ask about how I was doing and finding the work at that time) but the ones who did know dealt with it in a adequate way so I can't really fault them.
EDIT: looking at what was posted above me, I agree that there is very little teachers can do as they aren't mental health workers. That said it doesn't mean they shouldn't focus on it, it's just difficult when it's (what can be for some, at least) a complex issue.
At my previous secondary school, I didn't get much help for it and kind of went under the radar so it was often never followed up upon if I had got help. If I remember correctly, I had one talk about it with a head of year in year 8 and it was never mentioned again and I wasn't offered much further help.
At my current sixth form, the help I've got is much better. I received some support sessions in school about it and my teachers were notified in a way I personally found appropriate and tailored to my needs (e.g not fully telling them all that was wrong but enough for them to be aware) and were assured I would still be working to the best ability I could manage at that time. The teacher I went to first about now asks me how I am and if I need to talk when she sees me around school which is nice.
At my current school it wasn't really discussed much with my teachers (although a few did ask about how I was doing and finding the work at that time) but the ones who did know dealt with it in a adequate way so I can't really fault them.
EDIT: looking at what was posted above me, I agree that there is very little teachers can do as they aren't mental health workers. That said it doesn't mean they shouldn't focus on it, it's just difficult when it's (what can be for some, at least) a complex issue.
(edited 9 years ago)
(Sorry if this doesn't help the representative sample) when I was in school in 2010/11, we went to see the locus nurse who would come in every Friday from the NHS. They followed the usual confidentiality policy. Sometimes heads of year and the appointed trained paramedics would get involved. I never saw someone in school actively self-harming (i.e. it wasn't visible), so I can't comment on their actions in a crisis.
Original post by MrsSheldonCooper
I remember a girl in my year cut herself so badly that the teachers who taught her had to make sure that she wasn't near anything sharp in case she got triggered. Anyway, as an ex self harmer, I don't know why people jump to the conclusion that self harmers are attention seeking. That girl in my year used to get called emo and the teachers didn't even see her in the same way afterwards which is just sad because she just wanted help. I would not want attention like that at all
that's mental health stigma for you, sad. Charities like MIND, Time to Change, CALM (Camapign against Living Miserably), Students Against Depression are all helping change things though
Original post by Smash Bandicoot
that's mental health stigma for you, sad. Charities like MIND, Time to Change, CALM (Camapign against Living Miserably), Students Against Depression are all helping change things though
Yeah I know
As far as I know, my former secondary school didn't offer much support for those in this situation. Or, at least the support they did offer wasn't visible. It wasn't talked about by teachers.
The sixth form college I now attend has two part-time counsellors who are available for confidential appointments on request.
The sixth form college I now attend has two part-time counsellors who are available for confidential appointments on request.
Not really.
I've left school now, but my first school asked me to leave in year 8 when they found out about my self harm.
My second school got me a counsellor, but when I moved to the senior part of the school (year 11+) one teacher hated me and treated me really unfairly because of it. She stopped me having any contact with my friends in the other part of the school, stopped me going out in the evening (it was a boarding school), told me I was to wear long sleeves at all times and wasn't allowed to talk to anyone about self harm and was generally not very nice to me.
Its been 8 years since I started self harming, and now i'm finally getting some help. I really hate all the stigma around self harm and mental health though.
I've left school now, but my first school asked me to leave in year 8 when they found out about my self harm.
My second school got me a counsellor, but when I moved to the senior part of the school (year 11+) one teacher hated me and treated me really unfairly because of it. She stopped me having any contact with my friends in the other part of the school, stopped me going out in the evening (it was a boarding school), told me I was to wear long sleeves at all times and wasn't allowed to talk to anyone about self harm and was generally not very nice to me.
Its been 8 years since I started self harming, and now i'm finally getting some help. I really hate all the stigma around self harm and mental health though.
Even the support offered within NHS services varies. One set of doctors / nurses may see it purely as 'attention seeking', yet another set will be extremely supportive. I don't think we're particularly good in the UK at dealing with and talking about mental health. As someone else previously said, there are lots of organisations out there trying to change things, but I think it's extremely hard for schools to know what to do because there often isn't someone there who is trained to help, and waiting lists for referrals to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) can be long.
Original post by Múinteoir
Even the support offered within NHS services varies. One set of doctors / nurses may see it purely as 'attention seeking', yet another set will be extremely supportive. I don't think we're particularly good in the UK at dealing with and talking about mental health. As someone else previously said, there are lots of organisations out there trying to change things, but I think it's extremely hard for schools to know what to do because there often isn't someone there who is trained to help, and waiting lists for referrals to child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) can be long.
**** CAMHS! My CPN was awful and completely ineffective for the years I saw her. The first person to get through to me was a youth worker I now see regularly, but I only met her through a crisis, which should not be an acceptable time to get a decent mental health worker! I think many people who self harm would benefit a lot more from youth workers than CPNs, and CBT is ineffective for most self harmers - very few self harm for the shallow reasons that CBT tries to change.
My youth worker did 1:1s with me at first, tackling all the issues I was having OTHER than self harm, because she understood that self harm is not the actual problem that needs to be treated - it's a symptom. Then I started going to her youth group with other young people who see her, for whatever reason. The group atmosphere is so much more helpful and supportive than my CPN ever was.
Original post by suirrel
**** CAMHS! My CPN was awful and completely ineffective for the years I saw her. The first person to get through to me was a youth worker I now see regularly, but I only met her through a crisis, which should not be an acceptable time to get a decent mental health worker! I think many people who self harm would benefit a lot more from youth workers than CPNs, and CBT is ineffective for most self harmers - very few self harm for the shallow reasons that CBT tries to change.
My youth worker did 1:1s with me at first, tackling all the issues I was having OTHER than self harm, because she understood that self harm is not the actual problem that needs to be treated - it's a symptom. Then I started going to her youth group with other young people who see her, for whatever reason. The group atmosphere is so much more helpful and supportive than my CPN ever was.
My youth worker did 1:1s with me at first, tackling all the issues I was having OTHER than self harm, because she understood that self harm is not the actual problem that needs to be treated - it's a symptom. Then I started going to her youth group with other young people who see her, for whatever reason. The group atmosphere is so much more helpful and supportive than my CPN ever was.
I agree, there are alternatives, which may be better for a lot of people. It all just varies a lot - from area to area, and even within the same practice / organisation.
(I don't like CBT either...but again, there are people it has been extremely beneficial for)
Definitely not. When my teachers thought I was self harming they interrogated me and forced me to stop, threatening to tell my parents. Not one bit of advice/support was given to me on how to get better.
Original post by sydney02
Not really.
I've left school now, but my first school asked me to leave in year 8 when they found out about my self harm.
My second school got me a counsellor, but when I moved to the senior part of the school (year 11+) one teacher hated me and treated me really unfairly because of it. She stopped me having any contact with my friends in the other part of the school, stopped me going out in the evening (it was a boarding school), told me I was to wear long sleeves at all times and wasn't allowed to talk to anyone about self harm and was generally not very nice to me.
Its been 8 years since I started self harming, and now i'm finally getting some help. I really hate all the stigma around self harm and mental health though.
I've left school now, but my first school asked me to leave in year 8 when they found out about my self harm.
My second school got me a counsellor, but when I moved to the senior part of the school (year 11+) one teacher hated me and treated me really unfairly because of it. She stopped me having any contact with my friends in the other part of the school, stopped me going out in the evening (it was a boarding school), told me I was to wear long sleeves at all times and wasn't allowed to talk to anyone about self harm and was generally not very nice to me.
Its been 8 years since I started self harming, and now i'm finally getting some help. I really hate all the stigma around self harm and mental health though.
I remember my own mum called me attention seeking when I told her I was a self harmer
It wasn't helpful because I was going through an eating disorder at the same time and her saying that made my self esteem hit rock bottom..Glad you're recovering though 
yes they do but often nobody tells the teacher. we have pastoral care
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Original post by MrsSheldonCooper
I remember my own mum called me attention seeking when I told her I was a self harmer It wasn't helpful because I was going through an eating disorder at the same time and her saying that made my self esteem hit rock bottom..Glad you're recovering though
It wasn't helpful because I was going through an eating disorder at the same time and her saying that made my self esteem hit rock bottom..Glad you're recovering though Naww thanks
Yeah, my mum doesn't get it either...just pretends it doesn't exist and refused to go to meetings with my counsellor in the past.
I hate it when people say its attention seeking though, people just come out with that when they know very little or nothing about self harm and it just adds to the misconceptions and stigma.
