Responding to self-harm in the school setting: the experience of guidance counsellors and teachers in Ireland

ABSTRACTSchool-based studies identify that while 1 in 10 young people engages in self-harm, only a small minority seek professional help. School counsellors and teachers are potentially the only professionals who may be aware of a young person’s self-harm; however, little is known about how this impacts on them and how they might be best supported to respond to distressed students. This study employed a qualitative descriptive design to explore post-primary school teachers’ and guidance counsellors’ (n = 6) experiences of and responses to self-harm in Ireland. Findings indicated that participants react to self-harm in a highly emotional way with less experienced staff expressing more anxiety. Guidance counsellors and teachers identified the need for additional time, training, and professional support to help them respond to what is a commonly occurring phenomenon. Implications for the provision of support to students who self-harm are discussed.