Childline holding counselling sessions 'every 5 minutes' during lockdown

Childline is holding counselling sessions every five minutes on average during the coronavirus lockdown for young people with mental health concerns.

More than 16,600 sessions were held by the counselling service between March 23, when lockdown began, and May 10, according to the NSPCC - more than half of all sessions during the seven-week period.

In comparison, 71,283 counselling sessions were held for children with mental health concerns in the UK across the entire 2018/2019 financial year, meaning this year the equivalent of around a quarter of mental health counselling sessions were delivered in less than two months.

Some 36 per cent of sessions during lockdown discussed mental or emotional health, 13 per cent were concerned with suicidal thoughts and feelings, 12 per cent on family relationships, six per cent on self-harm, and four per cent on sex, relationships and puberty.

Between January 10, the first time a child mentioned coronavirus to Childline, and May 10, there were 6,938 sessions delivered which mentioned coronavirus

Dame Esther Rantzen, who founded Childline, said: “Children and families have faced extraordinary challenges because of the coronavirus pandemic, and the next few months will be no different.

“Childline provides a vital lifeline to young people who are trying to cope with the fear, anxiety and distress caused by the pandemic.

“We know from the counselling sessions we have delivered that children’s mental health has been directly impacted and those children who are living in homes which are not safe – where there is violence, addiction or abuse – are finding it especially difficult during lockdown.

“Young people in times of stress often find that their friends and the security of school are crucial to their mental wellbeing, but now they are without them, and are isolated and alone.

“It is imperative that we are there, particularly for those whose usual support networks are not in place and have nowhere else to turn.

“We are urging the public to support our Still Here for Children appeal so we can continue to support our young people whose lives have changed overnight.”

Childline said the issues young people were contacting the service with remained similar during the pandemic, but that the lockdown has exacerbated concerns.

And one 18-year-old girl told Childline: “I am scared about the Coronavirus. I’m finding it hard to cope at the moment and it feels like it’s the end of the world.

“When I was little I developed OCD and had been to therapy which has helped me to deal with the stress better.

“However, the Coronavirus has triggered it again and I’m really struggling, I don’t know what to do. Please help.”

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