Childline has launched a new campaign to support positive youth mental health and encourage device-free time.
The free and confidential helpline for children said that mental health concerns accounted for more than half of all counselling sessions they delivered to children and young people last year.
They delivered almost 83,000 counselling sessions on the subject of mental and emotional health issues in 2024-25, which represented 52% of all sessions they delivered that year and an average of nearly 230 sessions every day.
The main mental health concerns disclosed by children and young people related to anxiety, depression, stress, self-harm and suicidal thoughts and feelings.
There was also a 6% increase in children contacting Childline to discuss anger issues, with many reporting that they might throw objects or slam doors when struggling with their temper.
‘Race to a Milli’ campaign encourages device-free time
This has prompted Childline to launch their new ‘Race to a Milli’ campaign this January, funded by Lidl and supported by TikTok stars including Joe Leggett, Makai Fray and Capital FM’s Rio Fredrika.
The campaign aims to support children and young people to look after their mental health and wellbeing, particularly in the online world.
The campaign features TikTok stars Joe Leggett and Makai Fray competing head-to-head to be the first to reach 1 million likes on social media in a series of challenges set by Rio Fredrika. However, the tasks are actually a digital stress test, aimed at challenging their resilience to things such as peer pressure, hateful comments and rage bait.
It comes as Ofcom released data showing that children typically spend nearly three hours per day on their devices. This rises to over six hours per day for young adults.
Childline’s campaign therefore aims to raise awareness of the importance of having device-free time and shows an honest discussion between Makai and Joe in which they share the ways in which social media has impacted their mental health.
Youth mental health concerns ‘one of the biggest issues’ today
Children and young people have opened up to Childline about how spending large amounts of time online makes them feel, with one telling counsellors they feel “sluggish and worthless” after doom scrolling.
Childline’s Director, Shaun Friel, said that mental health problems were “one of the biggest issues facing young people today.”
He added:
“It’s something we hear about more than ever, and it can stem from a range of factors, some of which can come from the online world.
“That’s why we’re delighted to be working with our long-standing partners, Lidl GB, to launch the new ‘Race to a Milli’ campaign. Through Makai, Joe and Rio’s experiences, we’re hoping to spark honest conversations about digital resilience and the importance of taking breaks from the online world when it becomes too much.
“When you’re spending hours online every day and being exposed to comparison, negativity, and pressure to present a perfect version of yourself, it takes its toll. Its vital that children and young people understand that help is available. Whatever their worry, they can speak to one of our trained Childline counsellors by phone, or online chat. Childline is always here for them.”
Strategies to support positive youth mental health
The charity helpline has also provided some tips to help children who are struggling with their mental health, especially when going online. These include:
- Take regular breaks from your screen – take note of how endless scrolling makes you feel. If you start to feel anxious, are comparing yourself negatively to others or feel stuck in a doom-scroll cycle, step away. Even just 10-15 minutes doing something offline can help reset your mood.
- Talk about how you’re feeling – share your thoughts and feelings with a friend, family member, teacher or a Childline counsellor. This can help you feel less alone and find positive ways to cope.
- Curate your online space – remember that you are in control of what you consume on social media. Curate your feed by unfollowing accounts that make you feel bad about yourself and seeking out content that’s positive or helpful. Keep in mind that social media posts often reflect someone’s ‘highlight reel’ and not their everyday reality.
- Do something that makes you feel good – make time for positive activities that lift your mood and help you recharge – this could be going for a walk, listening to music, playing sport or spending time with family or friends.
- Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness – Childline says that reaching out when you’re struggling demonstrates strength, and they emphasise that they are available 24/7 to help children and young people when they need it most. They can be reached on 0800 1111 or via online chat or text.
The NSPCC provides information and advice related to children’s mental health on their website.
Training and support for youth mental health
First Response Training (FRT) is a leading national training provider delivering courses in subjects such as health and safety, first aid, fire safety, manual handling, food safety, mental health, health and social care and more.
An accredited Mindful Employer themselves, FRT’s specialist mental health training courses include Understanding Mental Health, Mental Health Awareness in the Workplace, Managing Stress, Anxiety and Phobias Awareness, Self-Harm Awareness and Suicide Awareness.
They can also provide qualified, approved trainers to deliver accredited Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training courses, including the Adult, Youth and Lite versions.
A trainer from FRT says:
“The mental health and emotional wellbeing of children is a huge concern, and smartphones and social media do seem to be exacerbating the issue. They expose children to constant comparison, negative news cycles, diet and image-related content and even hateful speech.
“It’s really important that we all have an understanding of mental health problems and an awareness of conditions such as anxiety, and that we are familiar with effective support strategies for helping others and managing our own anxiety and general mental health, to safeguard our wellbeing. It’s also important for anyone who works with children and young people to understand how to support them with anxiety and help them to look after their mental health and wellbeing.
“Our Anxiety Awareness training provides learners with an understanding of a range of specific anxiety disorders, how they can be managed and treated, and how to offer support to someone dealing with anxiety. We also offer a range of other mental health training courses, depending on your specific requirements.”
Helpful resources
A brief summary of our mental health training can now be downloaded as an infographic.
We also have a number of free infographics available to download which provide simple tips for helping to manage your anxiety and panic attacks. These include:
You can download our free Guide to Mental Health Training from our website.
You can also download FRT’s free Guide To Supporting Young Minds.
For more information on the training that FRT can provide, please call them today on freephone 0800 310 2300 or send an e-mail to info@firstresponsetraining.com.