TW- SH- URGENT

[Myunhappyheart]

I noticed superficial self harm marks on my child’s arm. She told me they were. Told me no intent to take further. I will be contacting relevant people today for support.

however, this child has autism and has no concept of self harm so I thought it was odd. I went through her phone this morning and basically another child at a club she goes to self harms according to what I read and has said to tell her mum she scratched it on a wall. I am furious with this other girl and her mother. She has been called out before for adding a load of kids at the club to a WhatsApp group where there were pedos in. They come from a well off background and the mother denies all knowledge and responsibility.

please tell me what you would do. This is sensitive and urgent and therefore I will not respond to anything other than sensible, practical constructive answers.

I may be repeating myself but I have already emailed the GP, messaged the club welfare officer asking for an urgent call, and asked on a trusted SM group for recommendations for suitably qualified private therapists. I will also call NSPCC for advice later.

If you have allowed you child access a device and/or social media then you cannot be furious with the girl and her mother.

look after you own. You cannot do more

How old is your child?

I would not post here at all. I would just contact the NSPCC.
You won't be responding to replies you regard as not sensible yet must realise that this site is a free for all in the sense that anybody can reply.

If you manage to find any support please let me know. I took my DS (13 auDHD) to the dr last week for the same thing and was just waved on my merry way as he told the GP he didn’t want to die so therefore is fine.

I self referred to single point of access but still haven’t heard from them (2 weeks). Depending on your area it might be worth a shot.

We've ended up looking for a private therapist. I think it’s the only option.

Good luck.

I can because my child device is heavily monitored and restricted to age appropriate content.

I agree sadly

You block all contact with the mother and child, you block wattsapp, you tell your child that there's no need to cut herself without any drama, you contact all the people you've suggested. Not sure I'd blame the other girl, how old are they. Id probably also let the school know.

Absolutely let the school know.

How old are the children in question? Does your DC have any other symptoms of being depressed/ unhappy or do you think they were just trying something out?

if the other child does not attend the same school, I would also contact theirs.

I have just re read your OP and you cannot be furious with the other child. Please do not blame her.

I don’t understand the comment about child being autistic so doesn’t understand self harm. Many autistic children harm themselves or have self-injurious behavior as a coping mechanism for psychological distress. It doesn’t have to be a learnt behaviour, or a cognitively aware manipulative act (as some see it).

Good luck finding a private therapist. Curious to hear if anyone has had success in this route. Personally I think it is helpful as a parent to have good awareness and learn strategies or conversations to help my own child as they aren’t going to talk openly to anyone else!

Mine is 11 the other 10.

think they were trying it out tbh although there are a few issues but nothing I would have thought would warrant self harm.

I will let school know too next week when they reopen. But the other child is at a club and I have alerted them.

she doesn’t know I know about the other child yet but at the right time I’ll tell her and encourage her to block.

her hamster just died too. What a day already :(

The autistic bit wasn’t worded well. I added that she was so that the full picture was available. And the non concept of self harm should have ideally been on a separate sentence. Hope that makes sense.