Self-harm and suicide prevention
Contemporary childhood
Suicide is the second leading cause of death in adolescents in most Western countries, while self-harm is the strongest predictor of eventual death by suicide in adolescence, increasing the risk up to ten-fold. We aim to minimise or eliminate self-harm and to work to develop alternative, healthier ways to live.
Our clinical work
Our Self-harm Outpatient Service specialises in treating people who repeatedly self-harm, struggle with interpersonal skills and often have enduring emotional problems linked to childhood adverse experiences.
We work with children and young people with complex histories such as those who frequently use emergency services or multiple care agencies or have complex mental health conditions. We offer specialist assessments and a range of treatment models including a National and Specialist CAMHS Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) service.
Our research
We seek to broaden our understanding of the pathophysiology of self-harm in children and young people, and to study the basic physiology of self-harm through methods such as exploring pain sensitivity.
For our research into different interventions, our focus includes studying the long-term impact of newly introduced interventions, as well as looking into experimental models which incorporate aspects such as community care and its combination with other support options.
Find out more
Read more about our research and key publications here.
Our partnership work
Our clinical and research teams work side by side in a number of different projects including the development of new interventions and the evaluation of key self-harm and suicide services. Together our experts can share knowledge and experience to further our understanding of this topic and improve the lives of the young people and children they treat.
Our future vision for children and young people
Our teams will continue working towards our overarching goal of reducing self-harm and suicide in children and young people. Our key objectives include continuing to develop, evaluate and implement the most effective therapies for self-harm in our communities, to increase our understanding of the biology behind self-harm, and to understand the modern role of digital media.
