Self-harm: Young People

Lord Laming Excerpts

Monday 28th April 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

The noble Baroness makes a very strong observation. The statutory guidance on relationships, sex and health education is under review, and we are working closely with the Department for Education on that review. I emphasise again the funding of the multi-centre study of self-harm, whose work is vital in getting to the core of the issues the noble Baroness raises.

[Lord Laming (CB)]

My Lords, the Minister will, I know, agree that self-harm needs to be taken very seriously indeed. Access to child and adolescent mental health services has got worse. I am told—I hope that it is wrong—that in some parts of the country access is delayed for more than a year. Can the Minister assure the House that this is being addressed?

[Baroness Merron (Lab)]

I can indeed assure the noble Lord and your Lordships’ House that this is being addressed, and I recognise the situation that he refers to. Early intervention on mental health is vital if we want to stop young people needing to reach for crisis support. Following on from my previous answer, there is no doubt that schools and colleges play an extremely important part, and that is why we have made the commitments on action that I previously outlined.