Supporting a Child Who is Self-Harming

Service Description

Supporting a Young Person Who Is Self-Harming This in-person training, delivered by Bridge the Gap, is designed to support teachers and professionals working with children and young people to feel more confident, informed, and supported when responding to self-harm. Self-harm can be distressing to encounter and difficult to know how to respond to appropriately. This session provides a safe, practical space to build understanding of why young people may self-harm, how to recognise signs and risk factors, and how to respond in a calm, supportive, and boundaried way. The training will focus on: Understanding self-harm and its function for young people What to say (and what not to say) when a young person discloses How to support emotional regulation and reduce immediate risk Professional boundaries, safeguarding responsibilities, and when to escalate concerns Supporting your own wellbeing when working with emotionally complex situations About the Trainer The training is delivered by Nikki Webster, a qualified Mental Health Nurse with many years of experience working with children, young people, and families across NHS, education, and community settings. Nikki is trained in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), and brings a compassionate, evidence-based approach grounded in real-world practice. Her work focuses on empowering professionals to respond confidently and safely, while recognising the emotional impact this work can have on staff. This session is grounded in compassion, clinical expertise, and practical application within school and organisational contexts. It aims to empower staff to respond effectively while recognising that they are not expected to “fix” the problem alone. Suitable for teachers, pastoral teams, safeguarding leads, support staff, and professionals working with young people across education and community settings. IN PERSON at Bridge the Gap 10/11 St Mary's Gate, Derby, DE1 3JR