National investigation into child suicide launched

Medical Xpress

The University of Manchester is preparing to launch an investigation into youth suicide in the United Kingdom, hoping to learn more about causes and promising prevention strategies. Approximately 700 people under the age of 25 die in the UK each year, yet Louis Appleby, who will lead the investigation, noted that “there is no current system nationally for reporting suicide trends or recommending priorities for prevention in this specific age group.” He noted that the study will include a focus on some factors that often receive media attention: “This public concern over child suicide often focuses on the role of internet sites or social media, but there is relatively little information on the part these factors play.” Researchers will draw on a wide range of data, including local authorities’ investigations of individual deaths, coroner inquest reports, information from the National Health Service, reports by the prisoner and probation systems, and Independent Police Complaints Commission reports – providing information on deaths in police custody and within 48 hours after leaving custody.

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