Distraction & Safety Kit – with First Aid - 40 Piece Self-Harm Safety Kit

This Distraction & Safety Kit has been put together to support people who self-harm or experience strong urges to self-harm. It combines simple, portable distraction activities with basic first aid items, so that carers and professionals can encourage safer coping strategies and support wound care where needed.

Each kit is packed in a handy zip bag and is available in a choice of red, blue or grey. It can be kept at home, in a school or college setting, or in a residential or clinical environment as part of a wider self-harm support plan.

Who is this kit for?

• Young people, teens and adults who use self-harm as a coping mechanism.
• Parents and carers who want practical tools to offer when urges arise.
• Schools, colleges and alternative provision settings.
• Mental health teams, residential services and crisis support environments.

This kit does not replace professional mental health support, but it can be a helpful practical resource alongside a safety plan, emotional support and therapy.

How the Distraction & Safety Kit helps

• Encourages “delay and replace” strategies, offering alternative sensory and cognitive activities when urges are strong.
• Provides simple tools for grounding, focus and emotional regulation.
• Includes basic wound-care items to support safer after-care where self-harm has occurred.
• Portable and easy to keep in a bag, drawer or staff room.

What’s included

Each kit typically contains:

• 1 x Illustrated information leaflet
• 1 x Stress ball
• 1 x Journal
• 6 x Coloured felt tip pens
• 3 x Elastic bands
• 3 x Ice cube moulds (for freezing and using as a cold sensory alternative)
• 5 x Gauze pads
• 1 x Cotton cloth
• 5 x Alcohol-free wipes
• 4 x Low-adherent dressings (can be cut to size)
• 2 x Self-adhesive dressings
• 5 x Wound-closure strips
• 1 x Microporous tape
• 1 x Bandage
• 1 x Zip bag

Contents may vary slightly depending on availability, but will always offer a similar range of distraction and first aid items.

Using this kit safely

• This kit is designed to support harm reduction and safer coping strategies.
• It should be used alongside a wider support plan, such as therapy, crisis plans and regular check-ins.
• We recommend that adults (parents, carers or staff) introduce the kit, explain each item and agree together how it will be used.

Important: This kit does not contain any items designed to cause injury. Items must only be used as intended, for distraction, comfort or first aid.

Age, safety and supervision

• Not suitable for children under 3 years due to small parts.
• For older children and teens, we recommend adult supervision and oversight from an appropriate professional where possible.
• Always follow local safeguarding and clinical guidelines in schools, services and healthcare settings.

If you or someone you support is in crisis

This kit is not an emergency or life-saving medical product. If someone is in immediate danger or has seriously harmed themselves, call 999 or go straight to A&E.

For urgent emotional support in the UK, you can contact Samaritans 24/7 on 116 123 or visit the NHS website for more mental health crisis support options.