Written question asked by Lynne Jones (Labour) on Thursday, 10 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 17 March 2005. It was answered by Stephen Ladyman (Labour) on Thursday, 17 March 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what (a) training and (b) resources are available to NHS staff dealing with young people with experience of self-harm.

Answer: Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) training and (b) resources are available to NHS staff dealing with young people with experience of self-harm. [221578] Dr. Ladyman: The National Institute for Clinical Excellence's guideline on self-harm, published in 2004, which includes children and young people, has recommended that national health service trusts should provide appropriate training for staff who come into contact with people who self harm. In addition to trust-based training, NHS staff have access to a variety of university-based education and training courses to equip them to work with young people who self harm. The number of resources available for staff working with young people who self harm is increasing. The National Inquiry into Self- Harm and Young People, run jointly by the Camelot Foundation and the Mental Health Foundation, on which the Department is represented, has been recently launched. It aims to educate and raise awareness about self-harm, and provide training and practical guidelines for individuals and organisations who work with young people who self-harm. Young Minds, a national charity for children's mental health has also compiled an extensive web-based catalogue of reading material and resources for staff who work with young people who self-harm.

Secondary information