Self Harm

Self-harm describes a wide range of behaviours in which young people deliberately inflict harm upon themselves, or invite harm to occur to them. Professionals working with young people frequently feel unprepared to work with self-harming behaviour. This seminar will help participants to understand the experience and motivations of adolescents who intentionally injure themselves and will focus on practical strategies that can help on both individual and organisational levels. Participants will leave this seminar with increased insight regarding self-harm behaviour in youth and with increased skills, resources and confidence for supporting, helping and treating young people who self-harm. 

The main areas that will be discussed include: 

• Understanding the meaning and purpose of self-harm.
• What are the risk factors and warning signs and how to respond when it becomes apparent that a young person is self harming.
• How to assess presentations of self-harm, including risk assessment and management plans
• Developing and implementing organisational resources, including school protocols, for detecting and managing self-harm.
• An overview of the most effective clinical strategies and evidence-based interventions for young people who are self-harming.
• The issue of contagion
• Identifying and managing personal attitudes and reactions to self-harm behaviour