Preventing and Responding to Self-Harm in Schools Programme

About this programme

This programme is free to two members of staff from each participating primary or secondary school and includes:

• One free place on our Responding to Students Who Self-Harm training. This is a 3-hour training for pastoral and support staff who work directly with young people at risk of, or known to be, self-harming.

• One free place on our Preventing Self-Harm: A Leadership Approach for Schools training. This is a 1-day training for school leaders, including headteachers or principals, senior mental health leads, deputy and assistant heads, SENCos, and designated safeguarding leads.

• Three optional termly follow-up reflective sessions available to those who have completed the training above.

Please note that two separate members of staff (in the roles outlined above) must attend from each school. Attendance at both training sessions is mandatory to receive a funded place.

This programme is offered free of charge to any non-fee paying education settings, thanks to the generosity of Bukhman Philanthropies. All sessions are delivered online via Zoom.

Why join this programme?

Self-harm is on the rise in the UK, especially among young people, alongside increasing reports of poor mental health.​ It is estimated that 1 in 5 young people will have self-harmed by the age of 18*. Most young people who self-harm do not access clinical services. Instead, their distress is often first noticed by the adults closest to them - family, peers, or school staff.​

As educators and pastoral leads, you are uniquely placed to:

• Spot early warning signs

• Create safe and non-judgemental environments

• Help young people access appropriate support.

This training programme supports school staff to have a deeper understanding of self-harm and its underlying causes, as well as greater knowledge of how to respond appropriately when a student discloses self-harming. Delegates will be equipped with practical strategies to support affected students. Additionally, school leaders will be better prepared to lead a whole-school, preventative approach to addressing self-harm. Together, your school will be well placed to strengthen its whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing, ensuring the whole-school community is supported.

Following completion of the training, delegates will be offered three optional, termly reflective sessions to provide a regular reflective space facilitated by our expert trainers to discuss the progress made since the training and self-harm related challenges in your setting. Delegates who have completed either course are welcome to join.

Who is eligible for this training programme?

We are recruiting 140 colleagues from non-fee paying education settings to take part in this funded programme.

Key details:

• Free to take part.

• For two members of staff in each non-fee paying education setting (one student support/pastoral related role and one leadership role – see above for more information).

• Not suitable for staff working exclusively in KS1, sixth forms or colleges.

Please note:

• Attendance at both training sessions and completion of evaluation forms are required to receive a funded place. Attendance at follow-up reflective sessions is optional.

• If the full programme is not completed, we reserve the right to cancel your place or invoice you for the cost of an individual training course.

If you’re unsure if your setting is eligible to apply, please contact us at school.training@annafreud.org to enquire.