Saturday 9th November 2024
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This is how we share information and good practices relating to mental health and wellbeing support in schools and colleges
What's New
Michael Syddall Accreditation
14th May 2024
Michael Syddall CofE (Aided) Primary School in Richmond, North Yorkshire receive AcSEED Award
Sherborne House Accreditation
16th January 2024
Sherborne House School in Chandlers Ford, Hampshire receive AcSEED Award
The AcSEED Newsletter
28th July 2022
AcSEED Newsletter for July 2022
UK Government blog
21st July 2022
What we are doing to improve the mental health of children and young people
AcSEED at MHW Show 2022
11th May 2022
AcSEED were a presenter and exhibitor at the Mental Health and Wellbeing show in Cardiff on 10th May 2022
Wistaston Accreditation
25th April 2022
Wistaston Church Lane Academy in Crewe, Cheshire receive AcSEED Award
Gorse Hall Accreditation
7th April 2022
Gorse Hall Primary and Nursery School in Stalybridge, Cheshire receive AcSEED Award
Crosby High Accreditation
7th April 2022
Crosby High School in Crosby, Merseyside receive AcSEED Award
St Olave's Accreditation
1st April 2022
St Olave's Grammer School in Orpington, Kent receive AcSEED Award
St Paul's Accreditation
19th August 2021
St Paul's Church of England Primary School in Stalybridge, Cheshire receive AcSEED Award
The AcSEED Newsletter
14th December 2020
AcSEED Newsletter for December 2020
On-line Wellbeing Support
11th December 2020
Kooth: An on-line Mental Health Support Platform
Mental Health in Schools Conference
11th November 2020
Report from the Westminster Insight conference on Mental Health and Wellbeing in Schools
Fairfield Road Accreditation
20th October 2020
Fairfield Road Primary School receive AcSEED Award
Newport Girls' get AcSEED Award
31st August 2020
Congratulations to Newport Girls' High School in Shropshire ...
First AcSEED Wellbeing Centre
25th June 2019
Trinity School and College opens the first AcSEED Wellbeing Centre
Self Harm on the increase
23rd October 2012 ... Charlotte
Today YoungMinds released new findings on self harm in young people. After conducting extensive research the charity found that three quarters of young people do not know who they can talk to about self harm. Further more two thirds of teachers do not know what to say if they realise a young person is self harming.
The study which involved 2500 participants including teachers and young people revealed self harm was of bigger concern than bullying and drug use. The number of young people admitted to hospital following self harm has risen by 68% over the last ten years.
The research exposed that there was a gap in support for young people who self harm. Ninety seven percent of young people believe the topic of self harm should be covered in schools yet only one in three teachers believe this is happening. Teachers admitted to feeing less comfortable talking about self harm than they did discussing other harmful behaviours.
So why is there such a big taboo around the subject of self harm? As human beings we are conditioned to survive and keep ourselves safe. We live to pass on our genes to the next generation and ensure the survival of our species. With this in mind let's consider it in relation to the stigma around self harm. In my experience individuals who do not have personal experience of self harm find it an incredibly difficult behaviour to comprehend. Could this be due to our innate instinct to remain safe and out of harm which self harm appears to contradict?
So why is self harm on the increase in young people? There are many reasons that could be behind this. There are certainly many pressures which today's young people have to face from academic targets to appearance expectations. Self harm is discussed more, even if this in a negative context than it was twenty years ago. Could this be related to the increase? We need to strive to achieve a balance between discussing the issue in an empathetic way and giving the message that self harm is a healthy coping mechanism.
What does come out of today's finding is that self harm is an increasing concern for society and there is a lot of work to be done to improve the confidence of professionals such as teachers and allow young people to feel comfortable in seeking support.