Page 2 - Guidance on how Primary Care can help :: Portus

Self-harm and suicide ideation

in children and young people

and how Primary Care can help.

National studies highlight that mental health and
emotional disorders are increasing in children and
young people. Alongside this rise we have also seen
an increase in self-harm and suicidal ideation.

Key Facts

11-to-16 year olds...

with a mental health disorder

...were more likely to have ...were more likely to have
self-harmed or attempted self-harmed or attempted

suicide at some point suicide in the past four
(25.5%) than those without a weeks (13%) than those
disorder (3%). without a disorder (0.3%).
The association with mental health disorder They were also more likely to have spoken
was clear in both boys and girls. about self-harm or suicide (16.5% compared
with 1.4%)
In 17-to 19-year-olds with a mental health
disorder, nearly half (46.8%) had self-harmed
or made a suicide attempt (ONS, 2020)

Rates of having ever self-harmed or attempted
34 % suicide varied by type of disorder present, and

at one in three (34%) this was highest in children
with an emotional disorder.

Portus - A Safe Space - Guidance on how Primary Care can help
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