Current National and Local Context
- In 2020 in Scotland, 1400 children and young people were treated in hospital for injuries sustained by self-harm (Scottish Government figures)
- 1 in 6 young people aged 16-24 in Scotland have self-harmed at some point in their lives (The Scottish Health Survey, 2019)
- Of self-harming adults surveyed in Scotland, 80% reported being 17 or under when they first self-harmed while 47% were between 11 and 15 years old.
- An estimated 14% of 14-15 year olds are thought to self-harm (O’Connor et. al., 2009)
- The number of children aged nine to 12 admitted to hospital across the UK due to self-harm increased from 221 in 2013-14 to 508 in 2019-20
- Reported self-harm rates are higher in girls than boys, however, rates amongst boys are likely to be underestimated due to underreporting. This reflects the ongoing stigma and shame associated with mental health difficulties in boys.
East Renfrewshire Context
- 13% of all referrals to the Healthier Minds Service are for concerns related to self-harm, however, a far higher number of those supported by the Healthier Minds Service go on to disclose self-harm behaviour
- 87% of those referred for concerns related to self-harm are female and the majority are aged 13-15 years old
- Anecdotally, practitioners across sectors and agencies are reporting an increase in incidences of self-harming behaviours and disclosures
Local and national statistics are likely to be an underrepresentation of the true extent of self-harming behaviour as many children and young people who self-harm will not be identified, present to hospital or seek help.
