More Children Self-Harm In Brighton Than Elsewhere - And Rates Are Rising

Many more children self-harm in Brighton and Hove than in most parts of the country and they face long waiting lists for help with their mental health.

A newly published report said:

“As a city, rates of self-harm in those aged 10 to 24 are almost 50 per cent higher than in the rest of England and are increasing.”

The issue came up several times at a meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Health and Wellbeing Board at Hove Town Hall earlier this week.

Labour councillor Birgit Miller quizzed officials about what support was available for young people who were self-harming.

Councillor Miller said that she was working with families in her ward who were struggling to get support from child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS).

She said:

“I have residents who have been waiting two years to see CAMHS while the problems are getting worse. CAMHS is not functioning.

“What are we doing that could help immediately? Because I think CAMHS is so understaffed and is struggling too badly that a 14-year-old or 12-year-old child, by the time they’re seen, is an adult.

“A 16-year-old would certainly be an adult with a two-year waiting list. What are we doing?”

Sarah Colombo, the manager of the council’s “Starting Well” public health programme, said that self-harm was one of the “greatest challenges” faced by schools and children’s mental health services.

She said:

“It is a difficult issue. It’s a large issue in the city. Services are very focused on it but we have yet to develop something which has specific resources to support self-harm.

“In some ways, we always need to be thinking about it as a symptom and what work needs to happen around that child and family to address and prevent self-harm.”

The Health and Wellbeing Board was told that about 2,000 people aged from 10 to 24 years old were admitted to hospital in 2021-22 as a result of self-harm.

The rate – 720 admissions per 100,000 population – was higher than the England average of 427 and a south east average of 550. Similar areas to Brighton and Hove had an average of 487 per 100,000.

The board – made up of councillors, senior NHS staff and others including community and voluntary sector representatives – also received a report from the Brighton and Hove Safeguarding Children Partnership.

The report said that 971 new referrals were made to CAMHS in the year to the end of March 2022, of which 959 were accepted. And in the same year CAMHS had 1,997 open cases.

It also said:

“There is an emerging picture of increased pressure on already pressed CAMHS and acute services across Sussex. Acute hospital settings have also seen a rise in self-harm presentations.”

There was a spike in child suicides in May and June 2021 and public health officials across Sussex had been working together in response including more support for children at school.

A self-harm learning network had been set up to provide workshops for education staff and parents on responding to children and young people who self-harm.