CHILDREN as young as nine in County Durham and Darlington have been treated for self-poisoning or self-harm, as worrying figures reveal cases are rising.

A Chester-le-Street charity which works to prevent suicide said it shows young people’s mental health has suffered during the pandemic.

NHS Digital data shows there were around 230 admissions for self-harm or self-poisoning, such as overdoses, for children aged nine to 17 at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust in 2020-21.

This was up from around 190 in 2019-20, with at least 215 admissions recorded between April and November last year.

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Matthew Smith, of the If U Care Share Foundation, said: “These latest figures are both worrying and upsetting.

“It is clear that children and young adults have struggled immensely over the last two years.

“This is why we feel it is so important that early intervention to support emotional and mental health in schools will be a key factor in helping alleviating these pressures moving forward.

“While we have taken huge strides there is still a lot of work to be done in ensuring children and young adults receive both timely and appropriate support in their moment of need.”

Mental health charity YoungMinds said it is "deeply concerning" that hospital admissions for young people self-harming rose to record levels nationally amid the coronavirus pandemic.

YoungMinds said many young people find it hard to ask for help until they each a crisis point, and that even before the Covid-19 crisis began they struggled to access support.

Olly Parker, head of external affairs at the charity said: “It is deeply concerning to see that hospital admissions for self-harm admissions have risen to their highest since records began.

“The reasons why young people self-harm are often complex, but we know that traumatic experiences at a young age – like bereavement, bullying or abuse – can have a huge impact.

“The Government must invest in a network of early support hubs across the country so that all young people who are starting to struggle with their mental health are able to get support."

Of the admissions last year at County Durham and Darlington Trust, around 225 were for self-poisoning, excluding alcohol but could include the consumption of drugs or medication, and between 11 and 17 were for self-harm.

The NSPCC said the pandemic had been "extremely challenging" for young people, either for those isolated in abusive homes, or those adjusting to a different way of learning.

A spokeswoman said some children use self-harm to cope when they are overwhelmed with difficult feelings and emotions.

She added: “While children are incredibly resilient the pandemic has understandably taken a toll on their emotional wellbeing, which is why the NSPCC want to see the Government invest in an ambitious plan for children that includes more mental health support in both the classroom and the community.

“This will ensure children can access the mental health support they need before things reach crisis point.”

Figures show intentional self-poisoning or self-harm resulted in children aged nine to 17 being admitted to South Tees Hospitals Trust at least 86 times last year. In 2019-20, there were around 126 hospitalisations.

In North Tees and Hartlepool Trust the figures show there were between 61 and 67 last year, up from 56 hospitalisations in 2019-20.

The Department for Health and Social Care said it is committed to supporting the mental wellbeing of young people, including through early intervention and treatment.

A spokeswoman said: “We are training a new dedicated mental health workforce for schools and colleges with mental health support teams to cover an estimated 3 million children and young people by 2023, and this will include support for pupils who are self-harming."

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