The challenges of managing self-harm effectively: Invited commentary on... self-harm in adolescents

This commentary discusses how much we appear to know about self-harm and the circumstances in which it may occur but how little we really know about what works in managing it. It reviews how suggestions for its management conflict with what we know about self-harm and the outcomes of young people. The challenge appears to be how better to identify those at risk of further self-harm and to train frontline staff in this, so that at-risk individuals may be referred to specialist services. Perhaps there is also a need to review the evidence for what actually works in reducing repetition of self-harm.