Improving self-help strategies for young people who self-harm.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A participatory approach to improving self-help strategies for young people in primary care who have mental health needs and self-harm.
IRAS ID
159838
Contact name
Di Bailey
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Nottingham Trent University
Research summary
The aim of this study is to develop self-help materials/strategies that work for young people, aged 16 and above, who present in primary care settings seeking help for mental health issues including self-harm. The project consists of 5 areas of inter-linked work summarised below.
Workpackage 1: a scoping review of the literature to identify the latest self-help, and peer support practices for young people who self-harm, identifying in particular any which are currently being used in primary care settings or if not how they might be developed.
Workpackage 2: establishing networks with clinical and commissioning collaborators to facilitate multidisciplinary partnerships with organisations who already offer support to young people such as harmless in Nottingham with a view to co-producing evidence from the project and developing/piloting any materials used. These networks will promote the sharing of best practice and dissemination of resources as they develop.
Workpackage 3: auditing current practice in three GP sites (linked to universities) relating to self-harm and young people. The audit will explore how positive first response relationships are being/can be effectively created and will provide baseline information for a follow-up audit 4 months later.
Workpackage 4: piloting a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach within three GP practices to include primary health care staff and young people to tailor the existing training and self-help materials and consider how best to use these as part of primary care interventions.
Workpackage 5: working with each of the 3 GP practices to identify ‘champions’ who will receive coaching support to continue to develop self-help interventions for young people who self-harm and who will promote the participatory approach to improve outcomes for these young people. The champion(s)will also continue to work with local organisations such as harmless, local schools and relevant services to promote best practice in relation to referrals and networking.
REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/1135
Date of REC Opinion
3 Oct 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion