New policy recommendations from the University of Birmingham outlines how services across the UK can work together to support young people at risk of suicide.
Healthcare leaders, local authorities and schools need to work together to tackle youth suicide, according to a new set of recommendations co-produced by young people, practitioners and leading mental health experts at the University of Birmingham.
The recommendations are part of a new report highlights a need for strong and equitable commissioning across voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations. Strengthening Support for Young People: A Cross-Sector Approach to Suicide Prevention, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) presents 29 best practice recommendations aimed at improving collaboration between voluntary organisations and statutory services, including the NHS, local authorities and schools.
The recommendations are the result of the ATTUNE study led by Dr Maria Michail, in collaboration with the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter. The study explored how young people seek and access support for self-harm and suicidal thoughts or behaviours, particularly through voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) organisations.
Drawing on in-depth interviews and a Delphi consensus study involving 60 participants - including young people with lived experience, as well as professionals from statutory and VCSE sectors - the research identifies key gaps in how services currently work together.
Dr Maria Michail from the University of Birmingham said: "Young people have told us clearly that support services do not always reflect their realities or meet their needs. By bringing together insights from lived experience alongside those working across the voluntary and statutory sectors, our recommendations provide a practical roadmap for more coordinated and compassionate care.
"New policy recommendations from the University of Birmingham outlines how services across the UK can work together to support young people at risk of suicide."
New policy recommendations from the University of Birmingham outlines how services across the UK can work together to support young people at risk of suicide.
The findings highlight that many young people, particularly those from marginalised groups, face barriers to accessing timely and appropriate support from statutory services. At the same time, they are often more willing to seek help from VCSE organisations, which can provide more accessible and identity-affirming care.
However, the study found that fragmentation between services, unclear referral pathways and inconsistent information sharing can lead to disjointed care, with young people frequently having to repeat their experiences across multiple providers.
To address these challenges, the policy booklet sets out five priority areas for action, including embedding young people’s lived experience in service design, strengthening collaboration across sectors, improving funding and capacity in the VCSE sector, and enhancing training and information-sharing systems.
The recommendations are closely aligned with the Fit for the Future: 10‑Year Health Plan for England, particularly its emphasis on prevention, early support, and more integrated, community‑based models of care for children and young people. The recommendations are designed to support stakeholders at local, regional and national level in developing more coordinated, responsive approaches to suicide prevention.
The research team is now engaging with stakeholders - including local authorities, NHS commissioning services, voluntary organisations and government departments - to support the implementation of the recommendations and understand potential barriers and facilitators to uptake.
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research's Three NIHR Research Schools' Mental Health Programme.
Find out more about the ATTUNE study by clicking this link.
The mission of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. We do this by:
NIHR is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care. Its work in low and middle income countries is principally funded through UK international development funding from the UK government.
Associate Professor
Dr Michail is a leading expert in the field of self-harm and suicide prevention.
