Current status

Children and Young People: Self-Harm and Suicide Prevention

The "A child's Voice" programme workbook

The Life Matters charity researched and understood the scale and complexity of the health problems, that are the root cause of self-harm and suicide among children and young people. An essential step for the development of effective prevention and support.

In line with the new government plans the ."A Child’s Voice" programme is a child-led mental health self-healing initiative, developed to empowers young people to speak up and be heard It prevents reaching crisis point, saves lives, care costs and escalation into emergency care.

We have found that via structured expressive writing the child can express their voice and is one of the most powerful tools for mental balance and prevent self-harm and suicide.

Why It Matters:

💬 Early intervention and prevention programmes saves lives – the earlier we act, the better the outcomes.
🏫 Is in line with national policy – our model supports NHS Mental Health Teams in schools.
🧠 Reduces risk – empowering children to be heard helps prevent escalation into emergency care.
🤝 Builds trust – we work with schools, families, professionals and communities to create safe spaces where young people can thrive.

Backed by Evidence:

From the NHS to NICE guidelines, professionals agree: “early, child-focused mental health support works”. We're proud to see that our A child’s Voice is in line with this national movement for change.

Statistics

Self-Harm in Children and Young People

1 in 6 children aged 5–16 in the UK are likely to have a mental health condition [¹].
Self-harm is most common among girls aged 13–17, with rates increasing sharply since 2010 [²].
In a recent NHS survey, 21.5% of 17–19-year-olds reported having self-harmed or attempted suicide [³].
A study of UK secondary school pupils found that roughly 1 in 10 students reported self-harming in the past year [⁴].

⚠️ Suicide in Children and Young People

Suicide is currently the leading cause of death in young people aged 10–24 in the UK [⁵].
Between 2010 and 2020, suicide rates among children aged 10–14 have more than doubled [⁶].
LGBTQ+ young people are four times more likely to attempt suicide compared to their heterosexual peers [⁷].
In the UK, approximately 200 school-aged children die by suicide every year [⁸].

Contributing Factors

While the causes of self-harm and suicide are complex, common contributing factors include:

Bullying (including cyberbullying)
Academic pressure
Family conflict or breakdown
Identity issues (gender, sexuality, race)
Unmet mental health needs

Why Prevention Matters

Early identification and intervention can save lives. Data consistently show that:

70% of young people who die by suicide had not received mental health services in the previous year [⁹].
School-based prevention programmes can reduce self-harm rates by up to 30% [¹⁰].
Peer support and community outreach can dramatically improve help-seeking behaviour in at-risk youth.

Our Response

At The Life Matters, we’re committed to using data-driven tools to prevent youth self-harm and suicide through:

School-based education and training
Early intervention via the "A Child's Voice Workbook Programme
Confidential support services
Partnerships with local health professionals

References

NHS Digital, Mental Health of Children and Young People in England (2023)
The Lancet Psychiatry, 2020
Young Minds/NHS Survey Data (2023)
Journal of Adolescence, 2022
Office for National Statistics (ONS), UK Suicide Data
British Journal of Psychiatry, 2021
The Trevor Project National Survey
Papyrus UK Internal Report
NICE Suicide Prevention Guidelines
WHO School-based Suicide Prevention Review, 2021