Abstract

This talk will discuss research on self-harm in young people. The majority of young people who self-harm do not seek help from health services, making schools vital settings for identifying and supporting students. This presentation explores self-harm in schools, focusing on prevalence, school experiences, and the effectiveness of school-based interventions, with particular attention to gender-diverse young people and modifiable school factors.

Using nationally representative data, we examined both individual and school-level influences on self-harm among secondary school pupils. We considered how school experiences, such as responses to bullying, feeling heard by adults, and overall school climate, may relate to self-harm. A systematic review also evaluates existing interventions within educational settings, highlighting gaps and opportunities for effective support.

The findings underscore the importance of understanding school environments and identifying tractable factors to reduce self-harm, while enhancing support for vulnerable groups, including girls and gender-diverse students.

The research presented has been conducted using large school-based datasets in collaboration with the OxWell team and the MYRIAD team in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Oxford.