The body is concerned by a growth in sites that appear to either promote or romanticise self-harming and is calling on internet service providers and website owners to remove such images or material.
Dr Margaret Murphy, chair of the Royal College's faculty of child and adolescent psychiatry, said: "We also call on them to ensure that any online content relating to self-harm is accompanied by information about relevant organisations that can offer advice and support."
The college has made the comments following an investigation by BBC Radio 1's Newsbeat, which found that the number of young people under 25 years old admitted to hospital with self-harm injuries had risen by more than 50 per cent over the past five years.
Register Now to Continue Reading
Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's Included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Email newsletter providing advice and guidance across the sector
Already have an account? Sign in here