Young person's Data Insight: Childhood contact with social services and self-harm in young adulthood
Categories: Research using linked data, Data Insights, ADR Northern Ireland, Children & young people, Health & wellbeing, Inequality & social inclusion
7 May 2024
This study looks at young adults in Northern Ireland (NI) and their risk of presenting to hospital with self-harm, or thoughts about self-harm and suicide (known as ideation). It asks whether risk is higher for young adults that were involved with social services during childhood.
What did the study do?
It linked anonymous data from health services and social services (called administrative data) to find out how many young adults presented to hospital with self-harm or ideation in NI between 2012 and 2015. It compared young adults who were involved with social services with those never involved.
Who is in the study?
253,495 young adults in NI aged 18-30 between 2012 and 2015. Over 1 in 10 had contact with social services during childhood.
What did the study find?
- 4 out of every 10 young adults that presented to hospital with self-harm or ideation was involved with social services as a child.
- Risk of self-harm or ideation goes up as level of involvement with social services goes up.
- Care experienced adults were 10 times more likely to present to hospital with self-harm.
Key messages
Most of the young adults in this study who were known to social services in childhood did not present to hospital with self-harm or ideation.
But a large proportion of young adults that present to hospital with self-harm or ideation have a childhood history of social care contact.
The results were not a surprise to the authors who feel that support during care and after leaving care is often lacking.
What needs to change?
Poor outcomes are not inevitable. Care experienced young adults are just like any other young adults – but they do clearly need more support.
With the right support it is possible to overcome problems and live a happy and fulfilling life.