Their call follows a two-year research project involving three youth charities from the UK and three from across Europe, that found young people who self-harm prefer to use online support services that offer immediate access to help and provide anonymity.
As part of the UK research, conducted by YouthNet, DePaul UK, and Manchester-based charity 42nd Street, 342 young service users were surveyed on their views about support. Of these, 71 per cent said it was easier to share their feelings online than face to face.
Meanwhile 88 per cent said they felt “less alone” after talking online with others in their situation.
The survey also found that young people did not seek support for fear of being stigmatised. A third said they had not looked for help in the past because they were afraid they would be misunderstood.
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