Barriers to seeking help
"I think the stigma with people our age is very much like 'they're attention-seeking', and that's something schools need to address because stigma can make an impact on whether a student tells a teacher what's going on or not."
Source:
Young person, SORTS focus group
There are many reasons why young people don’t access support for self-harm at school.
Young people may not ask for help at school because:
- They don’t know who to ask
- They feel embarrassed or don’t know what to say
- They think school staff are unapproachable or too busy
- They worry that people think they are attention-seeking and will be treated differently
- They worry that the person they speak to will share the information with other staff and their parents
Open Access Research: School context for self-harm and suicide
Evans and Hurrell (2016) reviewed five studies looking at the influence of schools on self-harm and suicide and found 5 main themes. (1) Self-harm is often invisible in educational organisations and not prioritised in school curriculums. (2) Self-harm can be viewed as bad behaviour, meaning students do not get support provided. (3) Schools often direct students to external experts. (4) Anxiety and stress related to school performance can increase self-harm and suicide. (5) Bullying can contribute to self-harm.
Evans and Hurrell (2016) reviewed five studies looking at the influence of schools on self-harm and suicide and found 5 main themes. (1) Self-harm is often invisible in educational organisations and not prioritised in school curriculums. (2) Self-harm can be viewed as bad behaviour, meaning students do not get support provided. (3) Schools often direct students to external experts. (4) Anxiety and stress related to school performance can increase self-harm and suicide. (5) Bullying can contribute to self-harm.
Evans, R., Hurrell, C. The role of schools in children and young people’s self-harm and suicide: systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative research. BMC Public Health 16, 401 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3065-2
"I think another fear is that even if you reach out, nothing will be done"
Source:
(Young person, SORTS focus group)
