By Gavin Mackintosh-
A quarter of 14-year-old girls in the Uk have admitted self-harming, according to a report.
A survey of 11,000 children found that 22% of the girls and 9% of the boys said they had hurt themselves on purpose in the year prior to the questionnaire. The disturbing report claims rates of self-harm were worst (46%) among those who were attracted to people of the same or both genders. Low self esteem, isolation, family problems, are also among those listed as problems that cause teenagers severe health problems.
The Department of Health is set to inject £300m to address mental health issues in schools and also train staff to help teenage sufferers of mental health.A spokesperson said: “We’ve extended our pilot scheme to deliver training in 20 more areas of the country this year to improve links between 1,200 schools and their mental health services.”
It comes as school pupils prepare to return to school for the new term in September. Bullying and depression are listed as one of the contributing factors to self harm that is affecting many British teenagers in the Uk.
The self-harm statistics was revealed in the charity’s annual Good Childhood Report, which examines the state of children’s well being in the UK. The Children’s Society analysed it after being collected in 2015 in the Millennium Cohort Study- a continuing research project following the lives of 19,000 children born in the UK between 2000 and 2001.
Over 11,000 of these children responded to the questionnaire inquiring about circumstances under which they had hurt themselves on purpose in any way in the past year. Out of the 5,624 girls who responded, 1,237 said they had self-harmed.
The report states that self harm can include everything from punching or hitting to cutting or burning.
NHS data released this month showed the number of admissions to hospital of girls aged 18 and under for self-harm had almost doubled in two decades, from 7,327 in 1997 to 13,463 in 2017. NHS data released this month that showed the number of admissions to hospital of girls aged 18 and under for self-harm had almost doubled in two decades, from 7,327 in 1997 to 13,463 in 2017.
Pressure at school, emotional abuse, grieving, and problems with family or friends are listed among the reasons for self harming
Matthew Reed, chief executive at The Children’s Society, said: “It is deeply worrying that so many children are unhappy to the extent that they are self-harming.
“Worries about how they look are a big issue, especially for girls, but this report shows other factors such as how they feel about their sexuality and gender stereotypes may be linked to their unhappiness.”
A separate survey of 10- to 17-year-olds and their parents across 2,000 households, also included in The Children’s Society report, found the children were unhappiest with school and their appearance.
The report also suggests happy family relationships are the biggest positive influence on children’s well being.
The Children’s Society called on the government to make it a requirement for all secondary schools to offer access to a counsellor and have their mental health services assessed in Ofsted inspections.
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A spokesperson said: “We’ve extended our pilot scheme to deliver training in 20 more areas of the country this year to improve links between 1,200 schools and their mental health services.”
The government added it will announce more on how it can improve mental health as part of its long-term plan for the NHS later this year.
Emma Thomas, chief executive of Young Minds, said: “Difficult experiences in childhood, like growing up in poverty or experiencing discrimination, can have a huge impact on mental health – but there are also new pressures that have emerged in recent years.
“The education system now places a greater emphasis than ever on exam results, while the rise of social media can make problems like bullying or body image issues more intense than they were in the past.”
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health said mental health was “one of the biggest health epidemics of our time” and strongly linked to social disadvantage.
A spokesman added: “This country’s mental health crisis is not going to go away overnight but with appropriate action from government there is hope that fewer children will have mental health worries and be happier with their life as a result.”
Note to Readers:The Eye Of Media.Com has permission to use the picture featured in this article and they girls featured in the picture do not claim to suffer from mental health problems or any of the issues referred to in this article