Young people want self-harm to be discussed in schools to help
dispel the fears and misunderstandings that surround the behaviour,
according to a report published today,writes Sally
Gillen.
The second interim report by the Mental Health Foundation and
the Camelot Foundation on the national inquiry into self-harm also
found that training for education professionals is at best
patchy.
But the young people consulted for the report do not want
teachers to take on a counsellor role.
Government strategies promoting better health and emotional
well-being for young people do not include self-harm.
Project manager of the national inquiry Dr Marcia Brophy said:
“It appears that young people want to play a very involved
role in providing information and advice about
self-harm.”
But she added: “But with education professionals under
such pressure, external help is needed to support the one in 10
teenagers in the UK who are hurting themselves in order to cope
with their emotional problems."