Anxiety a rising concern in young people contacting Childline

Worrying news comes as Childline marks its 30th anniversary

Girl with phone

There has been a sharp rise in young people facing anxiety in the last year. Our figures reveal:

a rise of 35% Childline counselling sessions about anxiety in the last year
almost 6,500 Childline counselling sessions in the last 6 months
anxiety a feature with children as young as 8, with girls 7 times more likely to contact than boys.

Causes ranged from personal and family issues to concerns about world affairs such as the EU Referendum, the US Election and troubles in the Middle East.

Research indicates the reasons for the sharp rise are down to a combination of personal and political issues, with some young people talking to counsellors about problems in their day-to-day life while others cite disturbing events seen in the media and social media as being the source of their worries.

Supporting children with anxiety:

listen carefully to a child's fears and worries
offer reassurance and comfort and avoid complicated and worrying explanations that could leave them more frightened and confused
help them find advice and support to understand distressing events and feelings
children can always contact Childline free and confidentially 24/7.

Childline: 30 years of listening to children

A short history of Childine’s first 30 years.

Find out more

"Things like the EU referendum and the US election make me worry about my future and how things are going to change. I feel really sorry for the refugees because it isn’t their fault that their country is at war."
Teenage girl who contacted Childline

Esther Rantzen, President of Childline

Dame Esther Rantzen, President of Childline said:

"At Childline we know children and young people are sometimes frightened and distressed by events in the wider world.

"Seeing pictures of crying and bewildered toddlers being pulled from bomb-damaged homes upsets all of us. Often we fail to notice the impact these stories are having on young people. The good news is that so many children are able to express their anxiety to Childline, knowing that we will take them seriously, so that we are able to reassure them.

"Childline will always be there for any problem, just as we have been for 30 years, as we tell the children 'if it matters to you, it matters to us'."

"I’m really worried about what is going on in the world. People have talked about a world war starting and I get really scared thinking about this."
Young boy who contacted Childline

Childline turns 30

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