Self harm and suicide amongst children
& young people in Knowsley : a collaborative workforce development project in partnership
with Knowsley Council & Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group

Foster, C; Allen, ML; Rayner, GC

Abstract

This theme paper demonstrates an innovative project that aimed to enhance knowledge, awareness and expertise around self-harm. Academic and Clinical staff at the University of Salford, United Kingdom were commissioned to work collaboratively with Knowsley Council and Clinical Commissioning Group in order to support the delivery of their Emotional Well-being Strategy. This project aimed to improve the identification, management and interventions for children and young people who self-harm in this region. This was a one year business and enterprise project in the domain of workforce and service development, comprising:
• A literature review to produce a benchmark against which current and future practice could be measured
• A good practice resource co-designed with staff and informed by the literature review
• The facilitation of practice based action learning sets
• Contribution to a practice-led good practice dissemination event
• A qualitative research study with children and their guardians regarding their experience of services to help them with issues of self-harm
• Consultation to senior management steering group to use outcomes of project for purpose of reviewing/developing current policies and practice.


This paper will overview the project and then share the good practice resource and the evaluation of the action learning sets.

Following staff consultation, the good practice resource was developed using the available evidence base and included a section on
Implementing good practice guidelines and a resource to help the service provider remain engaged with the young person. A problem solving cycle was presented as an easy to use concept when applied to working with a young person who self-harms. Guidance was also included with regard to when Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service input may be required, or safety concerns about the young person’s wellbeing are raised.


Cook & James (2008) identified the importance of training strategies that focus on experiential learning, and embedding new knowledge in practice through reflection. This is also of particular importance when working with people who self-harm (Rayner et al, 2005). The reflective learning sets were broadly based on the process of Action Learning, but also drew heavily from a type of discussion based learning called ‘Work Group Discussion’ (Jackson, 2008). This approach has a focus on thinking about the meaning of the young person’s behavior, identified as pivotal in aiding non mental health professionals to understand children in emotional distress (Foster 2009), and on understanding the interpersonal cycles that occur between the young person and the helper, including the impact of the helper upon the young person (Rayner et al, 2005).There were two phases of evaluation for the learning sets. Phase one was a structured questionnaire pre and post learning set. The Attitude to Deliberate Self Harm Questionnaire (ADSHQ) was utilised to evaluate changes in attitudes and beliefs (McAllister et. al., 2002).Phase two was a qualitative semi structured participant evaluation form. This included questions designed to encourage participants to reflect on changes they made as a result of their learning.

The proposed theme paper will contribute to knowledge development by;
• Disseminating the evidence base which underpinned the development of the good practice resource.
• Illustrating the benefit of a work discussion forum to enhance practice in areas which may challenge practitioners.
• Sharing an example of how successful partnership working can lead to measureable outcomes for the benefit of people who use health services.
References
Cooke, E. & James, V. (2009) A self-harm training needs assessment of school nurses.
Journal of Child Health Care, 13, 260–274.

Jackson E.(2008) The development of work discussion groups in educational settings. Journal of Child Psychotherapy, 34(1), 62-82.

Foster C. (2009) Adolescents in Acute Mental Distress on Inpatient Pediatric Settings: Reflections From a Pediatric Liaison Practitioner. Journal Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing. 22(1), 17-22.
Rayner, G., Allen, S. & Johnson, M. (2005) "Countertransference and self-injury: A cognitive
behavioural cycle." Journal of Advanced Nursing 50(1), 12–19
McAllister M., Creedy D., Moyle W. & Farraguia C. (2002) Nurses’ attitudes towards clients who self-harm. Journal of Advanced Nursing 40(5), 578–586.

Citation

with Knowsley Council & Knowsley Clinical Commissioning Group. Presented at NET2014 25th International Networking for Healthcare Education Conference, Churchill College, cambridge UK

• Presentation Conference Type: Other
• Conference Name: NET2014 25th International Networking for Healthcare Education Conference
• Conference Location: Churchill College, cambridge UK
• Start Date: Sep 2, 2014
• End Date: Sep 4, 2014
• Deposit Date: Feb 2, 2015
• Publisher URL: http://www.jillrogersassociates.co.uk/net2014abstractsandcorepapers.html
• Additional Information: Event Type : Conference