Responding to self-harm in the school setting: the experience of guidance counsellors and teachers in Ireland

Dowling, Susan; Doyle, Louise

doi:10.1080/03069885.2016.1164297

Cited by 19 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Meanwhile a lack of training was cited as one of the most significant barriers to effectively addressing the issue. Similar findings have been reported elsewhere (Berger et al., 2014a, 2014b; Dowling & Doyle, ), with a survey of teachers in Australia finding that 41% require improved staff education and school policy frameworks (Berger et al., 2014a).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

“…A recent systematic review and meta‐ethnography of international qualitative evidence on the role of schools in adolescent self‐harm and suicide found that it is often not prioritised (Evans & Hurrell, ). There is a culture of fear amongst staff (Best, ; Dowling & Doyle, ), with many school professionals feeling ill equipped to manage behaviours (Berger, Hasking, & Reupert, 2014a, 2014b; De Riggi et al., ). This often leads to the escalation of incidents through the hierarchical school structure in the effort to locate ‘expertise’, which often comes from an external source (Berger et al., 2014b; Best, ; McAndrew & Warne, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Adolescent self‐harm prevention and intervention in secondary schools: a survey of staff in England and Wales

Evans

Parker

Russell

et al. 2018

Child Adoles Ment Health

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Background Adolescent self‐harm is a major public health concern. To date there is a limited evidence‐base for prevention or intervention, particularly within the school setting. To develop effective approaches, it is important to first understand the school context, including existing provision, barriers to implementation, and the acceptability of different approaches. Methods A convenience sample of 222 secondary schools in England and Wales were invited to participate in a survey, with a 68.9% (n = 153) response rate. One member of staff completed the survey on behalf of each school. Participants responded to questions on the existing provision of adolescent self‐harm prevention and intervention, barriers to delivery, and future needs. Results Adolescent self‐harm is an important concern for senior management and teachers. However, emotional health and well‐being is the primary health priority for schools. Health services, such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, and on‐site counselling are the main approaches schools currently use to address adolescent self‐harm, with counselling cited as the most useful provision. Fifty‐two per cent of schools have received some staff training on adolescent self‐harm, although only 22% rated the adequacy of this training as high. Where schools do not have existing provision, respondents stated that they would like staff training, specialist student training, external speakers, posters and assemblies, although the latter four options were infrequently ranked as the most useful approaches. Key barriers to addressing adolescent self‐harm were: lack of time in the curriculum; lack of resources; lack of staff training and time; and fear of encouraging self‐harm amongst adolescents. Conclusions Adolescent self‐harm is a priority for schools. Intervention might focus on increasing the availability of training to teaching staff.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adolescent self‐harm prevention and intervention in secondary schools: a survey of staff in England and Wales

Evans

Parker

Russell

et al. 2018

Child Adoles Ment Health

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…These findings support previous qualitative research that schools rate incidents of self-harm and suicidal behaviour as severe and have a tendency to escalate incidents in an attempt to provide adequate support to the student (Evans & Hurrell, 2016). It has been reported that schools often respond to self-harm incidents in a manner of fear, denial or panic and immediate referral to external supports (Dowling & Doyle, 2016). While involving emergency services may sometimes be necessary for medical attention-particularly when a student is presenting with concurrent self-harm and suicidal behaviours-escalating self-harm incidents to external emergency services when risk is not imminent is advised against in best-practice guidelines (Hasking et al, 2016).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Incidence, Severity and Responses to Reportable Student Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviours in Schools: A One-Year Population-Based Study

Crowe

Townsend

Miller

et al. 2020

School Mental Health

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School staff have a unique opportunity to detect and respond to mental health issues including self-harm and suicidal behaviour in adolescents. There is limited knowledge about how these incidents are managed in schools. This study aims to understand the incidence rates, perceived severity and management of self-harm and suicidal behaviour incidents by schools. A total of 1525 school incidents were analysed for rate, severity and response. Pearson's χ 2 test was used to understand incident rates of self-harm and suicidal behaviours compared to all other incidents, and if incident category was related to emergency service involvement. A Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA analysed differences in severity ratings for incidents, and relative risk ratios determined the probability that first responder services will be engaged in self-harm and suicidal behaviour incidents. Self-harm and suicidal behaviour incidents (n = 77) accounted for 5.05% of all incidents and were more likely to be rated highly severe compared to other incidents. Incidents of self-harm and suicidal behaviours were 1.43 times more likely to have police involvement and 8.37 times more likely to have ambulance involvement compared to other incidents that caused harm to students, staff or property including welfare and violence incidents. The findings highlight the severity of reportable self-harm and suicidal behaviour incidents as they required an emergency response. We discuss the potential missed opportunity for early intervention by school staff and services, which may hinder future disclosure or help-seeking by at-risk young people. Training of school staff may provide knowledge and confidence to respond appropriately to self-harm and suicidal behaviour incidents and prevent escalation requiring emergency intervention.

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“…In the US, substantial work has been done to differentiate the work of guidance counsellors and school counsellors. In various countries the term guidance counsellor (Dowling and Doyle, ), is still utilised, which may be different from the work of a school counsellor in the United States (ASCA, ). Carley and Robin () indicated that school counselling has a focus on providing mental and emotional health services for all youth in the school setting.…”

Section: School Counsellor Rolementioning

confidence: 99%

Interprofessional partnerships involving school counsellors for children with special needs: a broad based systematic review using the PRISMA framework

Johnson¹,

Zimmerman²,

Franklin³

2020

Support for Learning

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Interprofessional educational partnerships can include a diverse group of helping professionals involved in consultation at both the school and community levels. Central to these partnerships should be school counsellors; this systematic review sought to understand the dynamics of these partnerships using the PRISMA framework. The review found that the role school counsellors can play on these teams varies from leader to convener but the specificity in terms of outcomes was missing. Noteworthy is the number of conceptual pieces, which is interpreted as researchers developing models that need additional testing. Future research should put the conceptual models available to directional testing; authors should include more information about the team’s development and each person’s role; and more attention should be paid to the outcomes of these team‐based approaches.

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Responding to self-harm in the school setting: the experience of guidance counsellors and teachers in Ireland

Cited by 19 publications

References 22 publications

Adolescent self‐harm prevention and intervention in secondary schools: a survey of staff in England and Wales

Adolescent self‐harm prevention and intervention in secondary schools: a survey of staff in England and Wales

Incidence, Severity and Responses to Reportable Student Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviours in Schools: A One-Year Population-Based Study

Interprofessional partnerships involving school counsellors for children with special needs: a broad based systematic review using the PRISMA framework

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