BIRMINGHAM Police & Schools Panels
YOUNG SUICIDE & SELF HARM Resources & Signposting
Suicide is the biggest killer of young people – male and female – under 35 in the UK. In 2015, 1,659 young people took their own lives. That equates to over four per day. Every year many thousands more attempt or contemplate suicide, harm themselves or suffer alone, afraid to speak openly about how they are feeling.
Self-harm can take lots of physical forms, including cutting, burning, bruising, scratching, hair-pulling, poisoning and overdosing. There are many reasons why children and young people try to hurt themselves. And once they start, it can become a compulsion. That's why it's so important to spot it as soon as possible and do everything you can to help. Self-harm isn’t usually a suicide attempt or a cry for attention. Instead, it’s often a way for young people to release overwhelming emotions. It’s a way of coping. So whatever the reason, it should be taken seriously.
#Tough to Talk: The NSPCC reports on the number of boys who are experiencing suicidal feelings. Although boys are 6 times less likely than girls to talk to Childline counsellors about suicidal thoughts, the suicide rate for boys aged 10-19 was more than double that for girls in 2015. A new Childline campaign, Tough to Talk, aims to reassure boys that they aren’t alone and encourage them to speak out about problems.
A series of posters and handy credit card-sized wallet cards encouraging children to contact Childline, if they need to talk available: Here
Papyrus: Are the national charity for the prevention of young suicide. Drawing from the experience of many who have been touched personally by young suicide across the UK and speaking on their behalf in campaigns and in their endeavours to save young lives. Together Papyrus believe that with appropriate support and education, many young suicides can be prevented.
They deliver awareness and prevention training, provide confidential support and suicide intervention through HOPELineUK, campaign and influence national policy, and empower young people to lead suicide prevention activities in their own communities.
Samaritans: Is a unique charity dedicated to reducing feelings of isolation and disconnection that can lead to suicide. Every six seconds they respond to a call for help. Every year, they answer more than 5 million calls for help by phone, email, sms, letter or face to face at one of their local branches.
Whether it's an 'are you ok?' at just the right moment, or the midnight support of a trained volunteer; whether it's better training in the workplace or campaigning for more investment in national and local suicide prevention. Samaritans are there, working to make sure there's someone there, for anyone who needs someone. Every life lost to suicide is a tragedy, and samaritans' vision is that fewer people die by suicide.
Cameron Grant Memorial Trust: The Trust works to raise awareness of young suicide; to urge all who are suffering in silence to speak up and ask for help, and to support young people who are fighting to overcome poor mental health, especially where this can be done through outdoor activities like exercise, hill walking and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which Cameron enjoyed so much.
Childline Self Harm: Lots of things could lead to someone self-harming, but Childline can help them find ways to cope.
IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT MEDIA SHARED ON THIS PAGE IS VIEWED IN ITS ENTIRETY PRIOR TO SHARING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
THINGS GUYS DON'T TALK ABOUT
The short film Things Guys Don’t Talk About has been launched by Childline to promote the #Tough To Talk campaign.
MOVING ON FROM SELF-HARM
Voice box, Childline’s weekly video chat, looks at moving on from self-harm. It can be difficult, but there are ways to support yourself. Childline counsellor Alex talks through some ways to cope.
For support and advice on self-harm: Click Here