Sage Morning Coffee – Understanding Self-Harm in Children & Adolescent

When: Tuesday 16th May 10-12 

Where: Sage Clinics   

About the talk:   

Causing physical harm to oneself i.e., self-harm, can occur for a number of reasons and with differing intent. Children and young people may self-harm due to underlying distress, to punish themselves or because of difficulty regulating intense emotions such as anger.  

Around 1 in 6 young people have self-harmed before the age of 18, with figures being higher if there is an underlying mental health difficulty (statistics in UK).  

Self-harm is a very difficult behavior for any parent or carer to understand and manage in their young person, particularly as every parent’s goal is to ensure a safe and protected environment for their child.   

During this coffee morning, we will be looking at how parents can better understand and support their child who may be self-harming, particularly as we are aware that this can bring about a range of strong emotions in every parent or carer.  

What you will gain from the session:

• An understanding of what self-harm is  
• Risk factors that could contribute to self-harm behavior  
• An understanding of reasons why children and young people self-harm  
• How to recognize self-harm and how to support your young person  
• An idea of what professional support is available and what this looks like  
• An understanding of the association between self-harm and suicidality  
• Discussion of common concerns for parents  
• Tips on how to support at home  

Written by: Sage Morning Coffee – Understanding Self-Harm in Children & Adolescent
Consultant Psychiatrist at Sage Clinics