Self-harming behavior and suicidal tendencies among children and teenagers are perceived as a significant social problem. They disrupt both the functioning of self-harming individuals and their entire family systems. Information about a child or adolescent’s self-harming behavior and/or suicidal tendencies may be particularly aggravating for their parents. When faced with such information, parents may experience a whole spectrum of unpleasant emotions, and as research conducted so far shows, the involvement of parents or guardians is important for the child’s recovery process. The presented article aims to present the characteristics of self-harming behavior and suicidal tendencies in groups of children and adolescents. It also includes a description of methods that could be effective for supporting parents or caregivers of children experiencing self-destructive behavior. The article focuses on the factors important while supporting parents and caregivers of self-harming children and adolescents which include taking care of one’s own emotional state, the necessity to fulfill the need for reliable information about the child’s problems, the need to secure time for one’s own pleasant activities, hobbies and interests, and to spend time with the child while engaging in some pleasant activities. The significance of asking for help when it is needed, as well as the role of support groups, were also highlighted. It is worth emphasizing that the text is a theoretical starting point for carrying out empirical research in the area described above.

Projekt dofinansowany ze środków budżetu państwa, przyznanych przez Ministra Edukacji i Nauki w ramach Programu „Społeczna Odpowiedzialność Nauki II” pt. „Współczesny obraz społeczeństwa polskiego w nauce i debacie publicznej”