During Pride Month, Childline has voiced its support for children and young people struggling with their gender identity or sexuality. The national charity helpline says that, over the past year, it has seen a 29% increase in the number of young people contacting them to talk about concerns relating to coming out. The helpline...
Childline counsels 90,000 children during pandemic
The NSPCC’s confidential helpline, Childline, delivered nearly 90,000 counselling sessions for young people worried about mental health or abuse during the Covid-19 pandemic. The national children’s charity said they had grown increasingly concerned about the “huge toll” the pandemic has had on young people. Data from Childline for the period 1st April 2020 until...
Landmark mental health study reveals rise in loneliness
A landmark mental health study reveals a mixed picture for the UK one year after the Covid-19 pandemic took hold, with more adults experiencing loneliness. The Mental Health in the Pandemic study, which began shortly before the first national lockdown in March 2020 and has asked questions of the UK public at 10 intervals...
Survey reveals impact of coronavirus on UK children
A new survey capturing the experiences of children and young people during the pandemic has revealed many have faced mental health challenges over the past year. Conducted by Survation for Newsround, the survey asked over 2,000 6–16-year-olds from all across the UK about their experiences during 2020-21, questioning them about a range of issues,...
Vulnerable children must be put ‘centre stage’ post-Covid
The Children’s Commissioner for England has called on the government to put vulnerable children “centre stage” in forthcoming plans to “build back better” after the Covid-19 pandemic. In her final speech after six years in the role, Anne Longfield said that plans to “level up” the nation must start with its most vulnerable children...
Childline raises concerns over mental health of children
Childline has raised concerns about the mental health of children and young people after delivering over 50,000 counselling sessions since the first peak of the coronavirus pandemic. The NSPCC’s confidential charity helpline delivered 54,926 counselling sessions to children and young people between April and December 2020. This represents a 16% increase in the average...
Calls to end school mental health support ‘lottery’
A new study has called for better mental health support in schools in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and resulting lockdown. Released just ahead of World Mental Health Day on Saturday 10th October, the study from the Institute of Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that fewer than half of state schools in England...