Changes in child suicide rates and characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic in England

AI Summary

No increase in child suicide rates or changes in methods in England between 2019 and 2023.
Deprivation effects varied by ethnicity: lower deprivation linked to higher risk in white children, but lower risk in Asian, Black, and Mixed/Other.
A recorded diagnosis of self-harm strongly predicted suicide within the following month (OR 8.99).

AI Summary

The relationship between deprivation and suicide risk was different by race/ethnicity (both p < 0.001), with decreasing deprivation associated with increasing risk of suicide in white children [IRR 1.12 (1.03-1.21)], and decreasing risk in Asian [IRR 0.52 (0.41-0.65)], Black [IRR 0.31 (0.21-0.44)] and Mixed/Other ethnicity (IRR 0.73 (0.60-0.89) children.

CONCLUSION: In England, suicide rates do not appear to be increasing, and the methods of suicide remain static.

The role of deprivation and suicide risk appears to be different between race/ethnicity, while a recorded diagnosis of a self-harm events appears to predict suicide in the subsequent month.

Basic summary

Front Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2026 Jun 16;5:1657552. doi: 10.3389/frcha.2026.1657552. eCollection 2026.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Suicide in young people has risen in many countries over the last 10 years.

AIM: The aim of this study was to report any changes, and characteristics of children dying by suicide in England, before, and during the COVID pandemic.

METHODS: Child deaths from suicide, occurring between 1st April 2019 and 31st March 2023 were linked to demographic, death-review and Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) data; used to identify mental health disorders and self-harm events. Using Case-Cross Over methodology, we investigated the relative risk of suicide, after recent HES-coded events.

RESULTS: In total there were 498 deaths likely due to suicide, during the 4 year period. Risk of death by suicide was 14.31 (13.08-15.63) per 1,000,000 CYP per year, with little evidence that risk (p = 0.863) or method (p = 0.199) changed over the period. The relationship between deprivation and suicide risk was different by race/ethnicity (both p < 0.001), with decreasing deprivation associated with increasing risk of suicide in white children [IRR 1.12 (1.03-1.21)], and decreasing risk in Asian [IRR 0.52 (0.41-0.65)], Black [IRR 0.31 (0.21-0.44)] and Mixed/Other ethnicity (IRR 0.73 (0.60-0.89) children. Only a recorded diagnosis of self-harm was more common before the death than in the preceding control periods [OR 8.99 (4.27-18.94)].

CONCLUSION: In England, suicide rates do not appear to be increasing, and the methods of suicide remain static. The role of deprivation and suicide risk appears to be different between race/ethnicity, while a recorded diagnosis of a self-harm events appears to predict suicide in the subsequent month.

PMID:42382456 | PMC:PMC13314999 | DOI:10.3389/frcha.2026.1657552

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