Young People: Self-harm

The Department for Health and Social Care is primarily responsible for child mental health, including self-harm. Schools and colleges also have an important role to play in supporting the mental health and wellbeing of their pupils. ‘Keeping children safe in education’, the department’s statutory guidance for schools and colleges, makes clear that schools should ensure they have clear systems and processes in place for identifying possible mental health problems, including routes to escalate concerns and clear referral and accountability systems.

The department supports mental health leads in schools to embed effective approaches that help to identify issues such as self-harm and provides appropriate support along with a range of guidance and practical resources.

If staff have a mental health concern about a child which is also considered to be a safeguarding concern, they should follow their child protection policy and speak to their Designated Safeguarding Lead or a deputy immediately.

Designated Safeguarding Leads act as a source of support, advice and expertise for all staff and are the point of contact with local safeguarding partners. They liaise with school mental health leads and, where available, with mental health support teams where safeguarding concerns are linked to mental health issues. They also work with parents and carers to safeguard and promote the welfare of children to ensure support is in place at every stage.

The government will also provide access to specialist mental health professionals in every school by expanding Mental Health Support Teams (MHSTs), so every child and young person has access to early support to address problems before they escalate.

By April 2026, we estimate that 60% of pupils in schools and learners in further education in England will be covered by an MHST, up from 52% in April 2025.