SLP Newsletter (December - 2020)(v4) - Flipbook - Page 12
I love me
Greenland tackle a sensitive topic head on!
Self-harm and suicide in children and young people
remain major public health priorities. Prevalence rates of
self-harm in the UK have been estimated at 7-18% and
although self-harm is often categorised as non-suicidal
self-injury, there are shared risk factors for both self-harm
and suicide.
Equally, self-harm has a strong association with suicidal
thoughts and is a predictor of completed suicide. Suicide
rates in children and young people are often not made
available and, where national level data is issued,
prevalence is usually underestimated. However, recent
World Health Organization data indicates that suicide is
the second leading cause of death for 15-29 year olds.
It, therefore, comes as no surprise that Greenland
Community Primary School are about to introduce a new
initiative that tackles these statistics head on at grassroots
level.
Having secured funding from the Stamp It Out, Durham
Time to Change Hub, Durham County Council and the
Suicide Prevention Alliance Greenland have created the
‘I Love Me’ initiative.
‘I Love Me’ has been designed for both children and their
adults to explain and understand the very challenging
subject of self-harm.
www.stanleylearningpartnership.co.uk
The preventative project aims to lift the stigma
surrounding self-harm, teaching participants the key
signs to look for, how to minimise risk and the next steps
to take in order to seek help and support.
Mrs Claire Guy, Greenland Community Primary School’s
SENCO said:
"We understand that self-harm is a very challenging and
sometimes, taboo, subject and that discussing it w ith
children may be seen as a cause for concern to some
parents. How ever, this should not be the case and is
exactly why w e need to start talking about it.
The preventative initiative has been very sensitively
designed to meet the needs of our children and their
adults, allow ing us to connect and learn together.
We w ant to change traditional attitudes tow ards
seeking support and give our families the ability to
recognise when individuals need help."
