84% of secondary school teachers have taught a student who they believe is self-harming in the last year, according to a survey by mental health charity YoungMinds.
YoungMinds is highlighting the need to ensure that teachers have support in identifying and responding to self-harm.
The charity has found that often teachers are the first point of call for students who need mental health support, but have limited training on how to respond or what action to take.
The charity carried out a survey of more than 3,000 secondary school teachers, which showed that:
– 84% of secondary school teachers had taught a child they believe is self-harming in the last year
– 77% of secondary school teachers do not believe they have had sufficient training on children and young people’s mental health
– While 36% feel confident knowing how to support young people with mental health issues, 35% do not feel confident.
– While 39% feel confident knowing how and when to refer young people to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, 37% do not feel confident. [1]
Research by NHS Digital in 2018 suggested that 48% of young people had sought help from their teachers when struggling with their mental health – a higher figure than any for other professional. [2]
Emma Thomas, CEO of YoungMinds, said: “The vast majority of secondary school teachers have first-hand experience of teaching a child who is self-harming, but too often they haven’t had enough training or support to know how best to respond to their needs.
“The reasons why a young person may self-harm are multiple and complex, but it’s vital that when they reach out to someone about it, they are met with the best possible help and advice.
“We know that teachers do a great job of supporting young people in many instances, but it can also be hard to know what to say, when to take action or how to support someone.
“That’s why we’ve created a range of resources for teachers, to help them feel more confident in supporting a young person who may seek their help. And we also need to make sure that schools have the skills and support they need to ensure that they can make wellbeing and mental health a priority.”
The YoungMinds resources include:
– A video about self-harm
– Advice for having a conversation about self-harm
– Information from young people who have experience of self-harm
– A guide for how to help a young person self-harming
Chris Martin, Chief Executive of The Mix, said:
“In our last survey of users at The Mix we found that there are a large number of professionals, such as teachers and GPs, looking for information on behalf of young people.
“With an increase in self-harm being reported and teachers sometimes being the first port of call, it’s important that they have the knowledge and confidence to offer support and signpost young people to services that can help, such as The Mix. We know that YoungMinds’s new resource pack will be an important tool to ensure that young people can get access to the support they need.”
YoungMinds also offers training courses for teachers on self-harm. And its 360° Schools’ Community offers advice and support to teachers about wellbeing and mental health. More than 6,000 teachers and school staff have signed up to the community. YoungMinds is also currently campaigning for wellbeing to be made a priority in schools, and encouraging supporters to #TellOfsted why they think this is important.
