• To recognise that self-harm in young people is common and increasing in prevalence
• To increase your awareness of child-centred best practice approaches to caring for young people who self-harm
• To count towards revalidation as part of your 35 hours of CPD, or you may wish to write a reflective account (UK readers)
• To contribute towards your professional development and local registration renewal requirements (non-UK readers)
Self-harm, where an individual purposefully harms themselves with a non-fatal outcome, is common, especially among young people. A wide range of mental health issues are associated with self-harm and it increases the likelihood that the person will eventually die by suicide.
This article explores the motivations for self-harming behaviours, risk and protective factors, the components of risk assessment and potential interventions. Self-harm can be associated with stigma and discrimination in society and in healthcare services. This article aims to support healthcare practitioners in providing non-judgemental, empathetic and respectful care to these young people and their families and carers.
Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2020.e1281
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to open peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
Trainor GP (2020) Self-harm in young people: risk factors, assessment and treatment interventions Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2020.e1281
Thank you to Annette Dearmun, nurse adviser, Fullflight Ltd, for her support in preparing this article for publication
Published online: 16 November 2020
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