Examining school absence as a predictor of self-harm in adolescents: A series of longitudinal studies using linked mental health and education data

Self-harm is common in adolescents and to prevent it, we need to find ways to identify groups at higher risk as early as possible. This study will use routinely collected data from schools and from mental health services, in different groups of adolescents, to test whether school absence patterns at baseline can be used to predict higher risk of self-harm in future, also taking into account other important risk factors.