Children and young people in crisis as calls to Leeds' Childline base rocket

More children and young people are turning to Childline for support

Increasingly anxious children and young people are turning to the charity Childline for support, as the Coronavirus pandemic affects their lives.

An unprecedented demand for Childline’s services peaked with calls on March 18, the day the Prime Minister confirmed UK schools would close. On that day, counsellors delivered 121 sessions to worried young people in one day.

Well over 900 counselling sessions have been held with children and young people about Coronavirus so far, with nearly two thirds taking place as parents started working from home and school closures were announced.

At the Yorkshire Childline base in Leeds, trained counsellors delivered 39 sessions to young people. Over half were counselled for their mental and emotional health as they struggled to cope with issues like isolation, arguments at home, and the removal of professional support from schools and the NHS.

One teenage girl said: “I feel really anxious, upset and lonely. The news has made my mental health worse but my CAMHS appointment has been cancelled and school has closed. I’m stuck at home having a horrible time because my sisters are bullying me because I’m autistic.”

Government has given Childline staff and volunteers key worker status as they battle to keep the vital service running.

Some counsellors have had to leave to self-isolate, but it continues to be a lifeline for very vulnerable children.

Last week Childline delivered over 50 counselling sessions with children who were having suicidal thoughts, exacerbated by Coronavirus as they felt trapped and isolated. Children sense the seriousness of the situation through parents’ reactions.