A NEW round-the-clock helpline has been launched in Barnsley in an attempt to tackle regional-high rates of self-harm among youngsters.
The town now has the highest number of emergency admissions for self-harm among children and young people in Yorkshire and the Humber, according to a council report which revealed the extent of the problem.
In the year leading up to March 2023, there were approximately 140 hospital admissions for self-harm among individuals aged ten to 24, equating to a rate of 374.9 per 100,000 young people.
This rate is notably higher than the national average of 319 per 100,000.
In response, a new 24-hour mental health crisis telephone service is being rolled out across the borough to provide immediate support for anyone in distress.
For young people in particular, a new service called Night Owls launched in April, which offers support outside of school and work hours.
It can be accessed through NHS 111 and is designed to offer a calm, confidential space for children, teenagers and their families to get help before a crisis escalates.
A report said: “Barnsley has the highest number of emergency admissions of children and young people in Yorkshire and Humber due to self-harm.
“The mental health crisis telephone response service is to ensure people have appropriate, immediate support which will de-escalate the crisis and integrate with the most appropriate support.
“This aims to provide support people with their mental health, reduce self-harm and the number of attendances to hospital.
“These services will be closely analysed for impact, whilst alongside this, a full review of all children and young people’s mental and emotional health services is taking place to ensure all resources are being used effectively and identify opportunities for improvement.”
The services are part of a broader review of mental and emotional health support for children and young people, with a focus on using resources more effectively and identifying gaps in provision.
Alexa Knight, director at the Mental Health Foundation, said young women are ‘at particular risk’ of self-harming, and called on the government to introduce targeted measure to protect their mental health.
She said: “Much more needs to be done by the government to put in place and properly fund the early, community or school-based interventions that help young people not only recover when they are struggling with their mental health, but stay mentally healthy in the first place.”
Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley South, added: “It is incredibly alarming to see that the rate of young people being hospitalised due to self-harm is higher than in other parts of the country.
“In the meantime, I encourage anyone who feels like they may do something to hurt themselves to speak to someone they trust to ask for help.”
