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Frontiers in Educational Research, 2026, 9(9); doi: 10.25236/FER.2026.090908.

Interventions for Teachers and Other Education Professionals Aimed at Minimising Risk of Self-Harm and Its Impact in Children and Young People: A Scoping Review Focusing on the UK and Australia

Author(s)

Yiling Cao

Corresponding Author:
Yiling Cao
Affiliation(s)

University College London, London, United Kingdom

Abstract

Self-harm among children and young people is a major public health concern, and school-based non-specialist professionals play an important role in early identification and support. However, evidence on self-harm training for this group in the UK and Australia remains fragmented. This scoping review was conducted in accordance with Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were searched for English-language empirical studies published since 2015. Fifteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Across the included studies, school staff consistently reported limited knowledge, low confidence, stigma-related concerns, institutional barriers, and restricted access to specialist mental health support. Training programmes were generally associated with improvements in knowledge, confidence, and practical skills, although evidence for long-term effectiveness remained limited because of short follow-up periods and reliance on self-reported outcomes. Overall, the evidence base remains limited and methodologically heterogeneous, highlighting the need for more rigorous and context-sensitive evaluations to strengthen the evidence for school-based self-harm training.

Keywords

self-harm; children and young people; school-based staff; non-specialist professionals; training; scoping review; United Kingdom; Australia

Cite This Paper

Yiling Cao. Interventions for Teachers and Other Education Professionals Aimed at Minimising Risk of Self-Harm and Its Impact in Children and Young People: A Scoping Review Focusing on the UK and Australia. Frontiers in Educational Research (2026), Vol. 9, Issue 9: 55-61. https://doi.org/10.25236/FER.2026.090908.

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