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Shock Figures Show As Many As Two Adolescents In Every Classroom May Be Self-Harming

July 03, 2002

STUDY CASTS NEW LIGHT ON WHY YOUNG PEOPLE SELF-HARM AND ON THE HELP THEY AND THEIR FAMILIES BADLY NEED - BUT OFTEN DON`T RECEIVE
      
Government figures suggest that one in seventeen adolescents - Nearly two in every classroom, are self-harming. New research, published today, goes behind these horrifying statistics to cast new light on why young people self-harm, and on the help they say they need but often don`t receive.
      
NCH and Coventry University`s research found that the onset of self-harm was often linked to difficulties in young people`s lives such as being bullied at school, unwanted pregnancy, parental divorce and bereavement. The earliest age of onset of self-harm in the study was seven and although the frequency varied, at its peak, one of the people interviewed had harmed herself over ten times a day, by cutting or blood-letting.
      
Caroline Abrahams, Director of Public Policy at NCH said: "The Government`s own research suggests that more than 200,000 11-15 year olds are self-harming, but the study we are publishing today shows that behind every one of them is a young person - and often a family - in deep distress."
      
Joint author of the report, Professor Paul Bywaters of the Centre for Social Justice at Coventry University said: "Everyone who works with children and young people needs to be much more alert to this issue. We must lift the taboo that surrounds self-harm so that children and families get the help they need. Above all, the Government must invest a lot more money in local services for children with problems like self-harm, and their families."
      
Alongside the report, NCH is also launching a leaflet and a website - www.nch.org.uk/selfharm with advice and information about self-harm for the young people, and for their families and friends.
      
Rather than being a "near suicide attempt", as most people think it to be, for the people in this study self-harm was more often a way of coping with the pressures of modern living that can take such a toll on children and young people - a way of preventing suicide. They explained that self-harm gave them a sense of release and a means of expressing their distress, even though they usually harmed themselves in private.
      
Mel, (late teens) said:
"When I do it, it feels like one thing that I have control over. Its one thing that I can decide, how hard I hit that wall."
      
Tammy, (early 20s) said:
"It made the pain go awayI wouldn`t have to cry and I`d feel happy again..."
      
Another part of the study looked at the incidence of self-harm among children and young people who attend NCH`s projects, and found that over 3 in 5 of those responding said at least one incident of self harm had occurred in the project during the last three months.
      
NCH is one of the leading providers of children`s services in the UK so this suggests that self harm is a significant, but often hidden problem, in all children`s services and one that such agencies need to do more to plan for and take into account.
      
Self-harm can be very frightening and difficult to deal with, so people who work with children need training and support to help them respond sensitively and well. The young people who took part in the study had very varied experiences of professionals; some were caring and helpful but others were less sympathetic:
      
Phil, (over 25) said:
"One of the sisters in A&E has stood for an hour and a half stitching me upthey`ve never turned round once and said `you`re a pain in the arse for keeping coming in. Why do you do it?`"
      
Anna, (late teens) said:
"I think they (hospital staff) think it`s a waste of time, because they should be treating people who don`t hurt themselves rather than having to treat people who do."

Coventry University