For many young people, self-harm can feel like a way to cope with difficult feelings or to release tension. The physical pain of hurting themselves can feel like a distraction from the emotional pain they're struggling with.

Some difficult experiences or emotions can make self-harm more likely in children:

• experiencing depression, anxiety or eating problems
• having low self-esteem or feeling like they’re not good enough
• being bullied or feeling alone
• experiencing emotional, physical or sexual abuse, or neglect
• grieving or having problems with family relationships
• feeling angry, numb or like they don't have control over their lives.

It can be hard to recognise the signs of self-harm in children and teenagers, but as a parent it’s important to trust your instincts if you’re worried something’s wrong.

Signs to look out for can include: 

• covering up, for example by wearing long sleeves a lot of the time, especially in summer
• unexplained bruises, cuts, burns or bite-marks on their body
• blood stains on clothing, or finding tissues with blood in their room
• becoming withdrawn and spending a lot of time alone in their room
• avoiding friends and family and being at home
• feeling down, low self-esteem or blaming themselves for things
• outbursts of anger, or risky behaviour like drinking or taking drugs.