What UK guidance is available for preventing and responding to self-harm and suicide among young people?
Submitted by Emily Widnall
This study reviewed guidance available in the UK to help schools and youth organisations prevent and respond to self-harm and suicide among children and young people. We searched for publicly available guidance published by government bodies, charities, professional organisations and other groups to understand what advice is currently available and where important gaps remain.
We identified 104 guidance documents. Most documents focused on preventing self-harm and suicide, while fewer provided advice on how to respond after a death by suicide. Most guidance was written for schools, with very little developed specifically for youth organisations.
Although there was a large number of guidance documents available, the quality and content varied considerably. We found gaps in guidance on:
Supporting parents and carers
Responding to the needs of specific groups of young people, such as those who are neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, or have special educational needs
Managing the role of social media
Providing practical tools such as templates and checklists for staff
Few documents described how the guidance had been developed or whether it was based on research evidence.
Our findings suggest there is an opportunity to improve future guidance by ensuring it is evidence-informed, practical and developed collaboratively with young people, families, clinicians, educators and youth workers. Better guidance could help strengthen support for children and young people, but further research is needed to understand how guidance is implemented in practice and whether it improves outcomes.
I’m a young person – what does this mean for me?
If you are struggling with self-harm or suicidal thoughts, you should be able to expect support from trusted adults in your school, college or youth organisation. This review found that there is already lots of guidance to help staff respond, but it is not always consistent or based on the best available evidence. There are also gaps in guidance about supporting different groups of young people and what to do after a suicide. The findings highlight the need for better guidance that is developed with young people, so that support is practical, inclusive and reflects what young people say they need.
I’m a parent – what does this mean for me?
Parents and carers play an important role in supporting young people's mental health, but this review found that many UK guidance documents provide only limited advice on how schools and youth organisations should work with families. You can expect schools and youth organisations to take concerns about self-harm and suicide seriously, communicate with you where appropriate, and help your child access support. The findings also highlight the need for better guidance to help organisations involve and support parents and carers.
I’m a teacher – what does this mean for me?
Schools play an important role in preventing self-harm and suicide and in supporting young people who may be struggling. This review found that there is a wide range of UK guidance available, but it varies in quality and often lacks practical advice for staff. Teachers and school staff may benefit from clearer, evidence-informed guidance that includes practical tools, advice on supporting different groups of young people, working with parents and carers, and responding after a suicide. Schools should not be expected to manage these issues alone, but should work alongside health services and other organisations to ensure young people receive the support they need.
I’m a clinician – what does this mean for me?
This review found that while there is a lot of UK guidance available for education settings, it is not always based on the best available evidence and often lacks practical advice. Clinicians can help by sharing evidence-based knowledge, supporting staff through training and consultation, and working with education and community services to provide joined-up care. The findings also highlight the need for future guidance to be developed collaboratively with clinicians, educators, young people and families so that it is practical, consistent and reflects current evidence.