A CUMBRIA charity has warned of the growing need to reach out to vulnerable children as figures show the number using their self-harm service is continuing to rise.

Self-harm Awareness for All, which has a base in Duke Street, Barrow, has spoken of the increased pressure as the charity recorded a dramatic increase in the number of 11 to 18-year-olds being referred to their talking therapies last month.

A total of 132 clients were seen by SAFA in March, of which 79 were between the ages of 11 and 18. This is an increase in that specific age bracket from 52 in September.

More funding needed

Rod White, chairman at SAFA, said the charity was dealing with unprecedented demand but without the security of long-term funding .

He said: "We have got a massive educational project to undertake: helping health professionals at all levels recognise the behavioural, mental and physical symptoms of self-harm and eating disorders at an early stage, and acting on them.

"Teachers, parents and young people themselves need more information too.

"Alongside this, we have to get action locally on this national problem. The new NHS commissioning system has been very slow to make headway: government funding, of which ministers are very proud, hasn't filtered down to third sector organisations such as SAFA who could provide the therapies that are so urgently needed.

"As you have reported previously, the local Camhs has been underfunded and in disarray for some time, and is still not able to provide a service, quickly, to all that need it."

Despite the majority of self-harm clients being from younger generations, SAFA also saw seven people between the ages of 50 and 59.

Self-harm covers many forms of mental health disorders and worrying behaviours such as inflicting cuts and scratches on the body, taking overdoses, self-poisoning with drugs and solvents, and developing eating disorders.

SAFA provide talking therapies to people with self-harm problems and work one-to-one to address the cause of the behaviour.

Hospital admissions

Last week, figures were released showing the number of under-16s admitted to hospital in England for self-harming increased from 6,882 in 2009/10 to 12,119 in 2014/15.

The statistics from the Health and Social Care Information Centre show a 76 per cent rise.

NHS England says it is investing an extra £1.4 billion to improve children and adolescent mental health services.

SAFA is backing the Evening Mail's Healthy Young Minds campaign. Sign the petition here .