Waiting for harm: deliberate self‐harm and suicide in young people — a review of the literature

Mental health professionals, particularly nurses, practicing in child and adolescent psychiatry are key players in the continued development of expertise, awareness and understanding of deliberate self‐harm (DSH) and suicide in young people. Enhancing this knowledge and the associated skills will contribute to effective, therapeutic relationships with individuals and their families. The purpose of this paper is to review the current literature surrounding the issue of deliberate self‐harm and suicide in young people. The paper will address national and international studies selected from a variety of child and adolescent and general psychiatric literature. The research presented highlights important issues to be addressed in practice. In particular, the evidence supports the influence of mental illness in DSH and suicide, particularly depression and substance abuse. However, a clearly important factor is an individual's experience of family and social life. The literature is considered in the light of relevant governmental policy documents relating to DSH and suicide. The future role of the mental health nurse in child and adolescent psychiatry in the United Kingdom (UK) is discussed in the contexts of family work and assessment.