1.5.6 Self Harming |
This chapter should be read in conjunction with the following;
REGULATIONS AND STANDARDS
Children's Homes Regulations and Standards (England) 2001: Standard 7: Support for Individual Children
Children's Homes Regulations and Standards (Wales) 2002 : Standard 17: Support for Individual Children
AMENDMENTS
This chapter should be read in conjunction with Breaking the Barriers: Meeting the Challenges: Better Support for Children and Young People with Emotional Well-being and Mental Health Needs: An Action Plan for Wales
This chapter was updated in January 2011 to include the Draft Suicide/Self Harm Traffic Light Charts: for Residential Care Homes in Powys. See Appendix 1 and Appendix 2
Contents
- Planning and Prevention
- Notifications and Management Review
- Recording
Appendix 1: Immediate Risk, Serious Risk, Less Risk
Appendix 2: Management of Self Harm for Residential Care Homes in Powys
1. Planning and Prevention
Broadly defined, self-harm refers to the deliberate attempt to physically injure oneself without causing death. This can include self-mutilation (e.g. cutting behaviours), self-poisoning, burning, scalding, banging, and hair-pulling.
Although clearly damaging, alcohol and drugs misuse, eating disorders, unsafe sex and other excessively risky behaviour, such as dangerous driving, are not generally classified as self-harm.
If a child is suspected or found to be self harming, the Strategies that should be taken are those determined by any existing plan, for example, in the child's Placement Plan.
If no plan or strategy exists, all reasonable measures should be taken to reduce or prevent continuation of the behaviour.
This may include providing additional supervision, confiscation of materials that may be used to self harm or, as a Last Resort, use of Physical Intervention or calling for assistance from the emergency services.
If there is any suspicion that the child may be involved in self harming, the social worker must be informed and a risk assessment undertaken with a view to deciding whether a Strategy should be adopted to reduce or prevent the behaviour. That strategy should be included in the child's Placement Plan.
If necessary, specialist advice or support should be sought.
2. Notifications and Management Review
There are different notifications procedures, depending on the seriousness of the self-harming.
2.1 Notifications of Minor or Non Persistent Self Harming
Minor or non persistent self-harming should be notified to the Manager at the first opportunity; the manager will decide whether to inform the relevant social worker.
2.2 Notifications of Serious or Persistent Self Harming
Serious or persistent self-harming is deemed to be an Incident; and must be notified to the Manager and relevant Social Worker within 24 hours or as soon as practicable thereafter.
The social worker should decide whether to inform the child's parent(s) and, if so, who should do so.
Depending on the seriousness of the Incident, other people/agencies may have to be notified, see Notifiable Events Procedure.
The manager must undertake a Management Review, as set out in Section 5, of the Incidents and Management Reviews Guidance.
3. Recording
Minor or non persistent self-harming should be recorded in the following:
- Daily log book
- Accident book
- Daily Summary
If the matter is serious, an Incident Report must be completed.
Appendix 1: Immediate Risk, Serious Risk, Less Risk
Appendix 2: Management of Self Harm for Residential Care Homes in Powys
End