Did you know…
- Suicide remains a leading cause of death in young people in the UK, and the number of deaths due to intentional injuries and self-harm have not declined in 30 years.
- The latest figures show that the number of suicides are the highest they have been since 2000.
- Suicide is the biggest killer of men under 50. In 2019, there were almost 6,000 registered suicides in England and Wales, with around ¾ of these being men.
- Two in five men aged 20-59 in England, Scotland and Wales don’t seek support when they need to, because they prefer to solve their own problems.
This week is National Safeguarding Week and our Board member Julian John has written a guest blog to share what it is all about.
National safeguarding week is an annual event in Wales and is held on November 16th – 20th. The aim of the week is to reinforce the message that ‘safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility’.
The Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board leads on this this work in our community, the Board is a statutory partnership made up of the agencies that are responsible for safeguarding children and adults at risk in our communities. The Board ensures that agencies have effective arrangements in place to ensure that people of all ages are protected from abuse, neglect, or other kinds of harm, this also includes the prevention of abuse, neglect and harm from happening.
This year’s national safeguarding event is focussed on the ‘prevention of suicide’, and promoting the key message that ‘talking saves lives’, therefore encouraging people to open up and speak to people they trust when they fear that there’s no hope.
Suicide is the act of intentionally taking your own life.
Suicidal feelings can mean having abstract thoughts about ending your life or feeling that people would be better off without you. Or it can mean thinking about methods of suicide or making clear plans to take your own life.
If you are feeling suicidal, you might be scared or confused by these feelings. You may find the feelings overwhelming.
But you are not alone. Many people think about suicide at some point in their lifetime, in fact, we lose around 350 people to suicide every year in Wales and we must do more to raise awareness and provide preventative solutions by reaching out and support those at risk.
I would encourage anyone reading this blog to check out the information and advice which is available via the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Safeguarding Board here
Also, if you, your family or friend are experiencing thoughts of suicide then don’t be afraid to talk about it, you can call the Samaritans on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
Here are more links to some organisations who have people ready to help and support you if you need to talk to someone:
Children and Young People: Samaritans 116 123, Papyrus & Young Minds.
Adults: Samaritans 116 123, CALL 24/7 & Mind.
For information on more support services, apps and resources, please select this link.