SORTS: SuppOrtive Response To Self-harm

Why was the research needed?

Self-harm among young people is common and increasing in the UK. Nearly one in four 17-year-olds report having self-harmed in the past year, while rates among 15-year-olds rose from 22% in 2014 to 34% in 2021. The COVID-19 pandemic is thought to have negatively affected young people's mental health, with 10% of 8-13-year-olds reporting that they self-harmed at least once during lockdown. Despite this, only one in five young people who self-harm receive support from health services. Many young people in England do not access mental health support early enough. School staff are often the first to recognise when a student is struggling but may lack the confidence and knowledge to respond effectively. As a result, opportunities for early intervention and support can be missed.

What did we do?

To address this need, we developed SORTS (Supportive Response to Self-harm), an online training programme and resource toolkit designed to improve school staff's understanding of self-harm, ability to identify students who self-harm, and confidence in supporting them. Aimed at all school staff, including administrative, support and teaching roles, SORTS was developed with the goal of increasing staff knowledge, skills and confidence, helping to encourage young people to seek support.

The training was co-produced with the Charlie Waller Trust and informed by secondary school students, school staff and mental health professionals. We conducted focus groups with young people to understand their expectations of how schools should respond to self-harm and the support they would like to receive. An expert panel, including representatives from the Charlie Waller Trust and school mental health staff, helped co-produce the training content, while workshops with school staff informed the design of the training resources. These insights were used to develop an e-learning module and toolkit to support schools in responding to self-harm.

Drawing on these insights, we translated research evidence into a free, practical programme that schools can use as part of their everyday response to self-harm. It combines a 30-minute e-learning module, realistic scenarios and evidence-based resources to support a whole-school approach.

What did we find? 

We found that school staff who completed the SORTS training reported a better understanding of self-harm and greater confidence in responding supportively to students. The programme has since achieved substantial national reach, with more than 3,700 staff from 602 schools completing the training.

How did we work with communities, services and organisations?

We co-produced the SORTS training programme and toolkit with the Charlie Waller Trust, secondary school students, school staff and mental health professionals. We worked with young people through focus groups to understand their expectations of how schools should respond to self-harm and what support they would like to receive. We also brought together representatives from the Charlie Waller Trust and school mental health staff through an expert panel to co-produce the resources.

What will the impact and benefits of this research be? 

SORTS has progressed from a research project to a resource with substantial national reach. More than 3,700 staff from 602 schools across the UK have completed the e-learning module, and the SORTS website has reached over 25,000 users, with school resources downloaded approximately 2,300 times. Staff completing the training report improved understanding of self-harm and greater confidence in responding supportively to students. With long waiting times for children's mental health services, SORTS enables schools to provide timely support for young people who self-harm. By strengthening staff knowledge and confidence, it supports earlier intervention and may help reduce the risk of escalating mental health difficulties and hospital admissions.

With additional funding, SORTS will be evaluated across a larger number of schools and develop new modules tailored to at-risk groups, including LGBT+ and neurodivergent students. SORTS continues to be shared with more charities in education and youth mental health to expand its reach.

How will we share and apply the findings? 

The findings have been translated into a free online training programme and resource toolkit for schools. SORTS has been included in the Mayor of London's Healthy Schools programme, Anna Freud's Mentally Healthy Schools resources, Teachwire and Barnet Council's self-harm training resources. The programme has also been presented to the Thrive LDN Suicide Prevention Group and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities Community of Practice, and shared through professional networks, newsletters and publications to support wider use in schools.

To sustain and expand the reach of SORTS, we are exploring options for the programme's long-term future, including transferring the website and e-learning module to an established charity partner. We will continue to monitor uptake and feedback, work with schools and partner organisations to embed SORTS into practice, and explore opportunities to broaden access, including Welsh-language resources.