Bethan Davies

Most coaches working with female athletes in performance sport are men. And being men, they don’t share the same lived experiences as the women that they coach. But that doesn’t mean they can’t learn and develop an understanding of female health. Many coaches are doing great work. But there’s still a gap in understanding how female health factors influence the training, recovery and performance of women in elite sport.

Self-harm is common among young people, and is linked with increased risk for many other mental health issues such as depression and suicide. The findings from the recent Mental Health of Children and Young People in England survey (2018) found that a quarter of 11-16 year olds with a mental disorder had self-harmed or attempted suicide, (compared to 3% without a disorder), and this figure rises to 46.2% in 17-19 year olds.