5.25 Self-Harming and Suicidal Behaviour |
Self-harm, suicide threats and gestures by a child must always be taken seriously and may be indicative of a serious mental or emotional disturbance.
The possibility that self-harm including a serious eating disorder has been caused or triggered by any form of abuse or chronic neglect should not be overlooked.
The above possibility may justify a referral to Children's Social Care Services for an assessment as a Child in Need who may be in need of services and/or protection.
Older adolescents are especially vulnerable when their emotional difficulties are compounded with lack of provision such as adequate housing. There may be a gap in service provision due to transfer between child and adult services (both of mental health and Children's Social Care Services).
Whenever a child is known to have either made a suicide attempt or been involved in self-harming behaviour, the professional needs to initiate a multi-disciplinary meeting to ensure that there is an appropriate risk assessment, along with an assessment of need.
Where a child has been admitted to hospital as a result of self-harming behaviour, any discharge should involve coordinated planning with community services, including the relevant Children's Social Care Service team and child & adolescent mental health service (CAMHS).
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