Friend of DD self harming - What to do

[MDUK]

Spoke to DD yesterday as they been moody, uncommunicative and spends all her time in her room (leaving aside the fact she is a young teenager) more than usual.

A few minutes after talking to her she blurted out that a friend was self harming. Talking some more this girl has formed a relationship on line with another self harmer. DD has been sworn to secrecy and has been struggling to know what to do. Worryingly friend asked in a text if she'd miss her if she was dead.

I don't know the girls parents very well but have met them. Another friend knows about this and (having read DDs texts) had said she wanted to tell a grown up but didn't know if she should.

DD has begged me not to say anything but i have explained that i have to, that she has done the right thing telling me, it was too much for a child to try and deal with and she has done the right thing as a friend.

The problem is I'm not totally sure what to do myself.

I don't know whether to ring school and ask them to deal (i think other kids at school probably know about this). Or whether to ring the parents.

My concern is, if i go straight to school it becomes a child protection issue and the system will just take over. I would prefer to go to parents direct but don't know them well enough to know how they will deal with it. Heaven forbid if the cause of this girls behaviour is at home.

My current feeling is i speak to the mum of the other girl that knows about this. She works in a school (not sure in what capacity) and see what she thinks.

Any advice please?

[Mrsrobertduvall]

Tell school.
My dd self harms occasionallyand we found out by a friend of hers telling a teacher.
Not sure what you mean about a child protection issue....we have support from the school and some imput from CAHMs but we stopped that.

[Brightspark1]

It is a child protection issue, my DD has seriously self harmed over past year... It is under control at the moment, but she has been left with awful scars. We have needed every bit of help the system has offered. Tell the school and give your DD a big hug and tell her she has done a very mature and sensible thing in telling you.