Support Children and Young People at Risk of Self Harm and Suicide
Support Children and Young People at Risk of Self Harm and Suicide Support Children and Young People at Risk of Self Harm and Suicide
Foreword The Scottish Government is committed to creating a more successful Scotland with a thriving society that offers everyone the opportunity to reach their full potential. Promoting good mental wellbeing is vital to doing just that. The principal aim of this guidance is to provide support for individuals and professionals supporting young people who are either self-harming or at risk of selfharm or suicide. It supports people working in a wide range of services to better understand how best to respond in an appropriate manner to a very sensitive, and often stigmatising, issue. There are many myths associated with these issues, including fears that talking about them may result in a young person self-harming or attempting suicide. This guidance aims to dispel that myth and support professionals to feel confident, informed and able to support those young people most at risk. When young people do access social, healthcare and other services, they need do so without fear, stigma and safe in the knowledge that they will be given strong and appropriate support. This guidance identifies common factors and offers tools and techniques for staff members to support young people. The diversity of contributory factors means that in our efforts to provide better services, we must continue to emphasise the need for person centred, recovery orientated approaches. This revised guidance should be used by NHS Tayside, Local Authorities and Partnership Agencies across Tayside, to help them engage and work with young people. Professor Tony Wells Chief Executive NHS Tayside Perth and Kinross Community Planning Partnership 3
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- Page 18 and 19: High Risk (continued) ❏ Evidence
- Page 20 and 21: 4.3 Suicide Methods ❏ More young
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Foreword<br />
The Scottish Government is committed to cre<strong>at</strong>ing a more successful Scotl<strong>and</strong> with<br />
a thriving society th<strong>at</strong> <strong>of</strong>fers everyone the opportunity to reach their full potential.<br />
Promoting good mental wellbeing is vital to doing just th<strong>at</strong>.<br />
The principal aim <strong>of</strong> this guidance is to provide support for individuals <strong>and</strong><br />
pr<strong>of</strong>essionals supporting young people who are either self-harming or <strong>at</strong> risk <strong>of</strong> selfharm<br />
or suicide.<br />
It supports people working in a wide range <strong>of</strong> services to better underst<strong>and</strong> how best<br />
to respond in an appropri<strong>at</strong>e manner to a very sensitive, <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>ten stigm<strong>at</strong>ising, issue.<br />
There are many myths associ<strong>at</strong>ed with these issues, including fears th<strong>at</strong> talking about<br />
them may result in a young person self-harming or <strong>at</strong>tempting suicide. This guidance<br />
aims to dispel th<strong>at</strong> myth <strong>and</strong> support pr<strong>of</strong>essionals to feel confident, informed <strong>and</strong> able<br />
to support those young people most <strong>at</strong> risk.<br />
When young people do access social, healthcare <strong>and</strong> other services, they need do<br />
so without fear, stigma <strong>and</strong> safe in the knowledge th<strong>at</strong> they will be given strong <strong>and</strong><br />
appropri<strong>at</strong>e support.<br />
This guidance identifies common factors <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong>fers tools <strong>and</strong> techniques for staff<br />
members to support young people. The diversity <strong>of</strong> contributory factors means th<strong>at</strong><br />
in our efforts to provide better services, we must continue to emphasise the need for<br />
person centred, recovery orient<strong>at</strong>ed approaches.<br />
This revised guidance should be used by NHS Tayside, Local Authorities <strong>and</strong> Partnership<br />
Agencies across Tayside, to help them engage <strong>and</strong> work with young people.<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>essor Tony Wells<br />
Chief Executive<br />
NHS Tayside<br />
Perth <strong>and</strong> Kinross<br />
Community Planning Partnership<br />
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