Our work on understanding self-harm continues in collaboration with colleagues across sectors in Scotland and those with lived experience of self-harm.
In the second phase of our engagement work on self-harm we brought together a range of stakeholders across national and local government, health, emergency, statutory and community services, the third sector, and people with lived experience of self-harm in a series of ‘digital gatherings’.
These gatherings aimed to build on the findings of our October 2020 report Hidden Too Long: uncovering self-harm in Scotland, which highlighted the urgent need for a new national policy approach to improve understanding of self-harm and strengthen support for individuals, families, and communities.
The report also raised some thorny questions and challenges that any future policy approach to self-harm would need to consider to ensure responses effectively reduce stigma, encourage open conversation and support wellbeing.
Working closely with attendees at our digital gatherings, we explored these questions in further detail and co-produced recommendations for a renewed policy approach to self-harm in Scotland.
The outcomes of these engagement sessions are available to view:
Next steps on self-harm in Scotland
Read more about the background of our digital gathering series, including more on the broad questions and themes that guided our discussion
Podcast series
Read more about and listen to our podcast series that supported our digital gatherings
Insights and recommendations
Read the insights, recommendations and conclusions that emerged in collaboration with stakeholders from across Scotland