A GREATER awareness of self-harming in Pembrokeshire schools could behind an increase in the numbers recorded by the council.

A recent Freedom of Information request by BBC Wales resulted in shocking figures showing that a child as young as six self-harmed in a local school.

The figures also record a jump from eight recorded incidents in 2014-15 to 48 in 2015-16.

Pembrokeshire County Council was one of only three out of the 22 Local Authorities in Wales to respond to the FoI request.

All 48 pupils recorded by the council were referred to social services.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Social Services, Councillor Tessa Hodgson, said: “These figures are of great concern and every number represents a young person and their family suffering from a very distressing and serious illness.

“We hope the increase in numbers is due to a greater awareness of the condition and that young people in Pembrokeshire are able to access care and support from both our social services department and our health board partners.”

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “A possible reason for the rise in figures is a much heightened awareness of self-harming both by the Authority (reflected in the fact that it was among only three Councils in Wales to respond to the FoI request) and among the professionals it employs.

“Over the past two to three years, the Authority has delivered a high level of awareness training revolving around emotional health to designated safeguarding leads, teachers and governors.

“Of course not all of the 48 children in 2016-2017 would have been referred to social care for self-harming alone.

“There would have undoubtedly been other issues besides self-harming for which the children had been referred to social care but self-harming could have been a part of the problem.”