More than half (52%) of all counselling sessions delivered to young people in Northern Ireland by the NSPCC’s Childline service last year were about mental health and wellbeing.
Between April 2023 and March 2024, Childline delivered 2,709 counselling sessions to young people in Northern Ireland with 1,399 of these being about mental and emotional health and wellbeing.
When discussing their mental health, the top concerns raised were anxiety, stress, low mood, depression and loneliness.
To mark World Mental Health Day (October 10th), NSPCC Northern Ireland is highlighting these figures to show the scale of children struggling with their mental health and to remind them that Childline is a safe place where they can seek help and support.
A 14-year-old boy who contacted Childline said:
“For the last few weeks, I’ve felt my mental state getting worse. It’s ok at school but as soon as I’m alone in my room the thoughts start; I’m unwanted, I’m not normal, there’s no point doing anything. I feel so trapped by these thoughts”.
It is important for children and young people get help with their mental health at an early stage – through schools or in the local community – rather than waiting until they reach crisis point.
As part of a preventative approach, NSPCC Northern Ireland is calling on the NI Assembly to prioritise investment in early years services which will help support the foundations of good mental health.
Any child or young person who is struggling can contact Childline up to the age of 19 and have a confidential conversation with a counsellor over the phone or online, at any time of the day or night.
Shaun Friel, Director of Childline, said:
“At Childline, we know that growing up comes with challenges which can impact the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.
“This is why it is essential that all young people know where they can go for support and the tools available to them that can help them process their emotions, such as resources provided by Childline.
“Whether a young person is feeling anxious, lonely, or depressed, we want to remind all young people this World Mental Health Day that they don’t need to cope alone and our friendly and welcoming counsellors at Childline are here for them.”
The Childline website also provides support to young people on the advice pages or resources, such as Art Box, which is a space for children to write or draw about their feelings.
Children can also use the service’s Calm Zone, an area of the website with lots of tools and mechanisms to help young people cope.
Drawing or writing can be a helpful way for children to process their emotions, as it can enable them to express themselves and make sense of their situation.
An 11-year-old child from Northern Ireland who contacted Childline said:
“I want help to stop having dark thoughts and worrying, it’s stopping me focusing and sleeping. Thank you for suggesting I try writing them down, I love writing stories so maybe I can channel them out that way.”
Young people can contact Childline 24/7 on 0800 1111 or via 1-2-1 chat on www.childline.org.uk.