A national investigation into suicide by children and young people

In April 2015 the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Safety in Mental Health (NCISH) established the UK's first national study combining multiple sources of information to examine the factors related to suicide by children and young people both in the general population and among patients of mental health services, in order to identify possible sources of stress and to examine the role of support services.

Two reports have been published from this study. The first, published in May 2016, presents 10 themes common to many suicides by children and young people that should be a target for prevention. Our second report, published in July 2017, confirmed the main findings of the first. We also suggest that there should be increased support for young people who are bereaved (especially by suicide), a greater focus on mental health in colleges and universities, housing and mental healthcare for looked after children, and mental health support for young people who identify as LGBT.