If your child has self-injured you can start by consulting your paediatrician or family doctor who can provide an initial evaluation or a referral to a mental health professional or service. If your child does not want to go to the paediatrician or family doctor you can go to the appointment alone. However, parents should try to encourage their child to attend the appointment.

 

Your paediatrician or family doctor may refer your child to a mental health professional or service. You can also talk to the school counsellor (if available) or the school principal at your child’s school. However, before speaking to staff members at your child’s school, or other family members and friends about your child’s self-injury, you will need to consider your child’s right to confidentiality and their feelings about disclosure of their self-injury to others.

 

If your child has injured themselves severely and you believe that their injuries require medical attention or are life-threatening, call 000 immediately, or take them to your local emergency department or healthcare service.