How to help young people who self harm

"This is one of the best self-harm trainings I’ve had, honestly..."

EMILY LOVE, PRIMARY PREVENTION WORKER

Live Online Webinar – Join Emily Gajewski – an expert in helping people overcome self-harm – for her live webinar on Tuesday 14th May 2024. All you need is a quiet place to watch, a computer or tablet and a strong internet signal, the rest is easy. Book your place and we’ll email you confirmation – you’ll receive your Zoom link the day before the event.
RECORDING – the training is recorded in case anyone experiences technical difficulties – or you can’t attend on the day – so you will also get a recording for a limited time afterwards to maximise your learning.

Want to attend but can’t make this date? Then please register your interest below – and we’ll email you when a new date is available.

Why you should attend

With the ever changing, uncertain world we live in creating a vast amount of pressure on children – emotionally and physically – more children and teenagers are experiencing extremely stressful, distressing situations, with many looking for coping mechanisms to help them deal with their negative thoughts, feelings and emotions. Self harm (including self injury) is hugely on the increase and rates are higher than ever since Covid-19 and the long periods of isolation and uncertainty young people have experienced in ‘lock downs’.

A survey of 61 secondary school children by charity Place2Be, shows self-harm reports increased by 77%, from 48 to 85, from August to September 2021.

Finding the right words to approach self-harming can be difficult – this online webinar was created to help you (parents, carers, teachers) approach this topic with empathy and confidence. Discovering that a young person you are caring for is self harming can be an extremely stressful situation. When we are highly emotional, it can cause us to react in desperate ways, which are often not helpful or supportive to the young person, even if our intentions are totally well-meaning.

“A really helpful, caring approach – it has clarified so much for me and I can now see a sensible way forward.”

MARTIN, PARENT.

This course is relevant to a range of self-harming behaviours including:

• self-injury
• cutting, ripping or carving skin
• burning skin
• punching or hitting themselves
• scratching or pinching (including dermatillomania)
• poisoning themselves with tablets or liquids (or similar)
• over-eating and under-eating (anorexia or bulimia)
• biting yourself (dermatophagia)
• inserting objects into your body
• overdosing, exercising excessively
• pulling your hair (trichotillomania)
• getting into fights where you know you will get hurt

What you will learn

• What is self-harm?
• Why young people self-harm
• How common is self-harming
• How to approach the subject (building rapport, trust…)
• How to react if your child (or any young person) tells you they are self harming (what not to say and do)
• The distinction between self harm and a suicide attempt
• The addictive element to self harm
• How to help a young person break the addictive pattern
• Helping a child in the short- and long term
• The influence of social media and peers
• Keeping your child safe
• Looking after yourself (managing stress, anxiety and worry for the household)
• Finding professional help

Who this training is suitable for

• Parents, other family members and/or carers of children and young people who are at risk of self harming or currently self harming.
• Anyone who works with young people and needs to know how best to help when someone discloses that they self-harm or who they suspect may be self-harming.
• Therapists and counsellors who want to gain a better understanding so they can support families with a member who self harms.