Eating disorders and body image issues were the sixth most common concern brought up by children and young people in Scotland contacting Childline last year (April 2022 – March 2023), with 273 counselling sessions carried out on the issue.
Childline, the counselling service run by the NSPCC, has also revealed that 40 per cent of counselling sessions with children across the UK about these issues took place in the summer months (June to September).
There are number of factors that make the summer holiday a particularly tricky time for young people struggling with their body image or relationship with food.
For some, the prospect of wearing clothing which shows more of their body can make them feel under pressure to look a certain way, lose weight or change their appearance.
This pressure can be reinforced by content they are exposed to online that makes them feel negatively about the way they way look.
At Childline, there is always someone to talk to. Our counsellors are there to listen and offer support and advice every day of the year on 0800 11111 or at www.childline.org.uk
Childline delivered more than 4,000 counselling sessions, including 273 in Scotland, to children and young people with worries around body image and eating disorders
40% of these counselling sessions take place during the summer – June to September
Childline reminds children the service is here to support them during holidays
Childline, the counselling service run by the NSPCC, reveals new data showing that 40% of all the counselling sessions they delivered last year on eating disorders and body image took place in the summer months (June to September).
Across the whole year – April 2022 to March 2023 – Childline delivered 4,179 counselling sessions to children struggling with these issues. 273 of these were in Scotland.
1656 (40%) of those counselling sessions based on these topics took place from June to September , the lead up to and the duration of the six-week summer break.
Eating disorders and body image issues were the 6th most common concern for children contacting Childline in 2022/23 in Scotland.
During this year’s summer holiday, Childline knows that many children might be struggling to cope with these issues and wants to remind them that their trained counsellors and online services are here to support them.
Childline insight
Common themes that came out of Childline counselling sessions on body image and eating disorders include:
Comparisons to friends, siblings, and people on social media
Guilt around eating particular “bad” foods or guilt about eating at all
Negative comments from family, friends, bullies, and partners about their weight and body often contributes to body image concerns
Weight worries linked to lockdown, gaining weight due to lockdown inactivity or stress
Not knowing how to manage weight or fitness without going to extremes
Cancelling plans due to body image issues
Childline knows that there are number of factors that make the summer holiday a particularly tricky time for children and young people struggling with their body image or their relationship with food.
For some, the prospect of wearing clothing which shows their body more can make them feel under pressure to look a certain way, that they need to lose weight or change their appearance.
For others, this pressure is also reinforced as many will be spending more time online during the summer months to keep in touch with their friends and to stay entertained. As a result, we know many children may be exposed to more content online that might make them feel negatively about the way they way look.
Additionally, children who struggle with eating disorders might find a change in their day-to-day routine and eating habits over the summer period difficult to cope with.
A girl in Scotland aged 16 who reached out to Childline said*: “How is Tiktok full of so many beautiful people and I look like this? I stare out at my face in the mirror and can only see what needs fixing. My lips, my nose, my eyes, my cheeks. Even my friends agree my nose is huge. Make up doesn’t do what surgery and fillers can do.”
A boy aged 13 told the service: “I feel so guilty every time I eat. I’ve been trying to be healthy and cut down on food, but it doesn’t seem to be helping. My older siblings are all so skinny, everyone says they’re so handsome and look like models, then there’s just me. It’s been upsetting me so much lately, thank you for letting me offload how I’m feeling.”
Support
Kieran Lyons, Service Head of Childline said: “Every year our trained counsellors speak to hundreds children in the run up to and during the summer holidays who are struggling with their body image or eating disorders.
“Summer can be a really a tough time for anyone who is already dealing with these issues, and it also can be a time which can make others who ordinarily felt happy with their body image begin to feel negatively.
“Regardless of your situation or your worries, Childline is here to ensure that no child is left to cope alone with any worry they have.
“If you are struggling with your body image or an eating disorder, we want you to know that Childline is here to help, and we can support you on what you can do and how to make things feel better.”
If there is a young person in your life struggling with their body image or an eating disorder here are some tips on how best to support them:
Remind them that how they look is part of who they are and that their personality, achievements and the way they behave is important too.
Images they may see on TV, in magazines, in social media or online are often altered and airbrushed so what they are seeing isn’t always real.
Remind them that everyone is different and not to compare themselves to anyone else. Accepting themselves is all about them noticing things they are happy and unhappy about and realise that is what makes them unique.
To help build their confidence encourage them to spend time focusing on a hobby they enjoy.
Also, it may help if they write down every morning a few things they like about themselves.
All children can speak to a trained counsellor over the phone on 0800 1111, via email or on a 121 chat on the Childline website.
Children can also visit the website to find more advice on any concerns or questions they may have on body image and eating disorders and they can also use the service’s monitored message boards to get support from their peers.
Stop It Now! Scotland and NSPCC Scotland are calling on the Scottish Government to develop a national strategy to tackle child sexual abuse that focuses on prevention to make the country a safer place to grow up.
The two charities hosted an event in partnership with the Scottish Parliament this week (Wednesday, March 15) with leading experts in the field.
They discussed the devastating harms and long-lasting impact that sexual abuse can have on victims, that punishment alone will not eradicate this problem and what we can do to prevent children being abused in the first place. They also talked about the next steps we need to take to guarantee Scotland is the safest country for children to grow up.
They are urging the Scottish Government to develop a comprehensive and coordinated national approachto prevent child sexual abuse, which involves health, police, education, community safety, children’s services, social services, housing and the wider community. The child protection charities say it is vital that everyone understands what child sexual abuse is and knows how they can be part of preventing it.
A review of UK data revealed that 15 per cent of females and 5 per cent of males will experience some form of sexual abuse before the age of 16.
This means at least 80,000 children in Scotland will have been affected by this issue before they leave high school. Although this is thought to be an under-representation of the scale of the problem and the actual number of children who have experienced sexual abuse in Scotland is not known.
The charities say that to understand the numbers of children in Scotland affected and the scale of the suffering it is crucial that a prevalence survey is conducted.
Professor Elizabeth Letourneau, Director of the Moore Centre for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse, School of Public Health, John Hopkins University, said: “Child sexual abuse affects about one in nine children – 12 per cent of all children – globally. Victims are at risk of immediate harms, such as fear, injury, and pregnancy, and a broad array of serious health problems can emerge and last across the lifespan.
“Only one in five cases of child sexual abuse are ever reported to the authorities. This means that we miss at least 80 per cent of cases, so punishment will never be enough if we are to effectively address this public health problem.
“I believe our failure to focus on prevention stems from a general misgiving that child sexual abuse really is not preventable. That people who are at risk of perpetrating abuse are monsters and their behaviour cannot be predicted or prevented, and they will only respond to punishment.
“But we know this is not true. We already have good evidence that we can effectively prevent child sexual abuse perpetration.”
Pat Branigan, Assistant Director of NSPCC’s Together for Childhood, said: “One of the most important messages from today is that child sexual abuse is preventable and not inevitable.
“The ultimate goal is to develop a framework, based on evidence of what we know already works, which can be used to support agencies and organisations to work together and prevent child sexual abuse in communities.
“We need to create strong local partnerships between social care, schools, health, voluntary groups, the police and communities that focus on preventing people from offending, and empower and educate children and adults to recognise the signs of abuse and how they can report their concerns.
“Ultimately it will not be governments, experts or professionals who eradicate child sexual abuse, it will be individuals, families and communities.”
Stuart Allardyce, Director, Lucy Faithfull Foundation / Stop It Now! Scotland, said: “Last year we helped 7,000 people across the UK through our Helpline. Not all were adults worried about their own sexual thoughts, feelings and behaviour, but around half of them were.
“We also had adults who were worried about another adult, or because they had found evidence their partner has been seeking out child sexual abuse material online.
“We believe that if you build prevention initiatives, people will come – professionals, protective adults, but also those who worried about the risk that they may present to children. We can no longer say that people won’t use self-help prevention resources, because the evidence is that they can and do and that prevention works.”
Childlight, based at the University of Edinburgh, also launched the first comprehensive global data repository this week, which will look at all forms of child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA), with the aim of being able to show the scale and nature of this abuse.
Children and young people can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice 24 hours a day online at www.childline.org.uk or on the phone on 0800 1111
Anyone with concerns about a child’s wellbeing can contact the NSPCC Helpline on help@nspcc.org.uk. The NSPCC practitioners provide free and confidential help and advice and can take appropriate steps to help keep children safe. If a child is in immediate danger, please call 999.
The NSPCC also has advice and resources for parents, carers on how to have simple, age appropriate conversations with children to help prevent sexual abuse through their Talk PANTS campaign. This helps children understand that their body belongs to them and to recognise when something is not okay and how to tell someone.
From April 2021 to March 2022, Childline counsellors delivered 1,345 counselling sessions with children in Scotland who were experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings
NSPCC Scotland has released new data from its Childline service to mark Children’s Mental Health Week and raise awareness of how we can help and support children when they are experiencing poor mental health and suicidal thoughts.
Children’s Mental Health Week (6-12 February) is an annual event in the UK that aims to raise awareness of children’s mental health. It is co-ordinated by the children’s charity Place2Be, and this year’s theme is Let’s Connect, encouraging children and young people to connect with others in healthy, rewarding, and meaningful ways.
This new data from the NSPCC reveals that Childline counsellors delivered 1,345 counselling sessions with children in Scotland who were experiencing suicidal thoughts or feelings last year from April 2021 to March 2022.
Adeniyi Alade, service head of Childline in Scotland, said: “At Childline, we know that hundreds of children across Scotland are struggling with their mental health, and it remains the number one concern that our counsellors speak to children about every day.
“Whilst some are grappling with anxiety, others are experiencing depression and suicidal thoughts and feelings. Many of these children tell our counsellors they are the first person they have spoken to and that they’ve not known who else to turn to.
“No matter what a child’s experience is, if they are struggling with their mental health, we believe it is essential they get the support they need to help them cope quickly. That’s why this children’s mental health awareness week we want to remind all young people that Childline is here for them 24/7, whether that be on the phone or via an email or 121 chat.
“As well as speaking with one of our counsellors, we also have lots of resources and advice available online like our monitored message boards which allow young people to speak with their peers and connect and share their experiences.”
Sandra Gordon, a Childline counsellor at NSPCC’s Glasgow call centre, said: “Over the last few years mental health has been a huge issue.For some young people things can be so tough at home and sometimes they think about taking their own life.
“They may feel anxious and be struggling on a lot of levels. Young people feel isolated when they have fallen out with friends, they are arguing with parents and finding their schoolwork difficult.
“We are there to listen, we’d never judge any young person, and we try to build their confidence and self-esteem. We allow them to explore other options and try to make them feel valued. For many young people it can be easier to talk to someone you don’t know and it helps to know they can remain anonymous.”
A boy aged 15 from Scotland who called Childline said: “I’m going to kill myself tonight. Every day is so hard; everyone is upsetting me all the time.
“I’m just so stressed. I’ve been feeling like this all week but today things happened which are the last straw for me.”
Another 15-year-old boy who called Childline said:“For the past few months, I’ve been feeling lonely and like I’m nothing. Most recently I’ve had really dark thoughts about suicide.
“I’ve been self-harming as a distraction as wherever I go it’s always on mind – it seems to just follow me and it’s really overwhelming. I act as happy when I’m around my mum – she seems to think I’m fine but I’m really dying inside.
“I feel like nobody understands and I don’t know who to tell. I’m worried they’ll laugh and won’t believe me or say, ‘you out of all people can’t be feeling that!’.”
A boy aged 17 who called Childline said: “I keep getting these suicidal thoughts and I don’t know what to do about them. I try to distract myself or I ride them out, but the thoughts always end up coming back.
“You’re the first person I’ve told this to. I don’t really want my mam to know cos it will only worry her and probably make me feel even worse.”
Advice for children:
Talk to a trusted adult about how you are feeling and what is worrying you. This could be a parent, guardian, sibling over the age of 18, grandparent, teacher or a Childline counsellor. Sharing how you feel with someone you trust means that they can support you and give you ideas on how to cope. It will also help you feel less alone with your worries, and they can let you know that they will be here for you.
Be kind to yourself. Speak to yourself like you would a friend and take the time to check in on your basic needs such as eating, drinking and resting.
Take a break if you feel overwhelmed or are struggling to cope you could go for a walk or listen to some music to give yourself some headspace. Taking some deep breaths will also help you feel calmer and less panicked and you can visit Childline ‘s Calm Zone to find some activities that can help relax you.
Try and build a healthy routine to give yourself some structure to your day. For example, you could set reminders on your phone to take regular breaks where you may read a book, go for a walk or ring a friend. Or you could get up earlier than normal and start your day with some deep breaths, some gentle exercise and have a healthy breakfast.
Helping others or doing a random act of kindness can help you feel good about yourself and can distract you from your worries. This doesn’t have to be anything extravagant; it could be as simple as offering to do a house chore like the washing up or making someone a cup of tea.
Contact Childline if you feel you have no-where else to turn or would like some extra support.
Our counsellors are available 24/7 and you can get in touch online at childline.org.uk by email or 1-2-1 chat or on the phone on 0800 111 or. Our trained counsellors are here for you and no worry is ever too small.
For Adults:
Let them know you’re there for them, this will reassure them that you are on their side and it will remind them that they can come to you about anything.
Try talking to them over text or on the phone, if they don’t feel able to talk in person.
Be patient and staying calm and approachable, even if their behaviour upsets you recognising that their feelings are valid and letting them know it’s okay for them to be honest about what it’s like for them to feel this way.
Think of things you could do together to help them cope, like yoga, breathing exercises or mindfulness.
Encourage them to talk to adult they trust like their GP, someone at their school or Childline. Especially if they’re finding it hard to talk at home.
Take care of yourself and get support if you need to. Try not to blame yourself for what’s happening and stay hopeful.
Children’s TV legend Johnny Ball is joining the NSPCC’s call to schools and nurseries across Edinburgh to take part in a maths-inspired fundraiser this February.
Number Day is an annual event aimed at children in nurseries, primary and secondary schools, with teachers and pupils raising vital funds for the NSPCC while having fun with maths.
This year’s event takes place on Friday, February 3, and will see free curriculum-based activities available for schools across the country to download to help liven up their lessons while raising funds for the children’s charity.
Johnny Ball, veteran children’s TV presenter and maths enthusiast, will also be supporting Number Day by providing a series of videos for the NSPCC that will feature activity ideas of his own. Johnny’s videos will be available on YouTube and social media.He said: “The NSPCC’s Number Day is a great way for all children and schools to celebrate the joy of learning mathematics while supporting such a great cause.
“Maths is an essential part of a child’s education as the ability to count, play with numbers and tackle puzzles, builds confidence and problem-solving thinking – all of which are essential lifelong skills. And most important of all, learning maths is fun.”
Since Number Day was first launched in 2000, it has raised nearly £3 million for the NSPCC. Last year, 5,000 schools got involved with Number Day and raised £400,000.
Funds raised from Number Day could help support vital NSPCC services such as Childline and the charity’s Speak out Stay safe programme, which sees the NSPCC visit primary schools and teach children how to recognise signs of abuse and neglect, and who to talk to if they are worried.
Within the last year, 5667 children from schools in Edinburgh took part in the NSPCC’s online Speak Out Stay Safe programme.
Registration for Number Day is free through the NSPCC website. Once a school is registered, the NSPCC will provide resources that can be used in the classroom, including new games and activities, such as Dress up for Digits where children and staff can wear an item of clothing with a number on it and make a donation to the NSPCC.
Georgia Hall-Newell, NSPCC Schools Coordinator for Edinburgh, said: “Whether you’re from a school or a nursery, by taking part in this year’s Number Day, not only will you be inspiring children by making maths education fun but you’ll be helping to support the NSPCC as well.
“This year’s Number Day promises to be our best mega maths fundraiser yet, with NSPCC Rock which is an online times tables competition for schools, and more resources than ever before being made available to schools, thanks to Oxford University Press, Maths on Toast, GoHenry, SchoolOnline and Maths Circle.”
Number Day is also supported by partners including Man Group, OUP and IRIS ParentMail.
Schools and nurseries can sign up to Number Day for free by visiting the NSPCC’s website at www.nspcc.org.uk/numberday.
As we begin a new year, many people will be reflecting and looking ahead to what the coming weeks and months will bring (writes Adeniyi Alade, Service Head of Helplines (Childline) .
Often New Year’s resolutions focus on healthy living, learning a new skill, supporting a cause, or giving up a bad habit.
This year, NSPCC Scotland is appealing for people to resolve to donate some of their time to one of the charity’s many services for children and young people.
At NSPCC, we are lucky to have a dedicated group of volunteers who give their time week-in week-out to help children and families when they need us the most.
However, to help ensure that we are here for all children, all day, every day, all year round, we need more people of all ages, and from all walks of life, to become volunteers and help us be there for young people.
Our two Childline bases in Glasgow and Aberdeen have a team of amazing volunteers who talk to children about a range of issues including mental health, abuse and neglect, family relationships, loneliness grief, and sexuality.
Childline bases across the UK held over 200,000 Childline counselling sessions with children and young people last year and need more volunteers to enable them to continue being there for children.
Could you be that person?
Our Schools Service volunteers also play a vital role, protecting a generation of children by helping them understand abuse and giving them the confidence to speak out if they need help.
Could you help children feel empowered to know who they can speak out to if they are worried?
If you aren’t able to commit to a weekly or monthly volunteer role, why not consider joining as a fundraising and events volunteer, or you could even support NSPCC Scotland with your own fundraising event throughout the year.
No matter how much time you have to give, NSPCC has a volunteering role for you. It can be a great way to give back to the community and also learn new skills.
At NSPCC, we give you all the training needed to get you ready for your role, as well as a hugely supportive team of volunteers and supervisors to guide and help you on your volunteering journey.
Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh Ice Rink and Camera Obscura and World of Illusions illuminated green on the longest night of the year on Wednesday, December 21, in support of the child protection charity, the NSPCC and its Childline counselling service.
On the same night, people dusted off their walking boots and took part in the charity’s 5k fundraiser in the city. The NSPCC invited families, friends and colleagues to get together for the sponsored walk to raise money to support it and its Childline service this Christmas.
On average, two children a minute contact Childline. The service’s counsellors receive calls about many concerns and issues, including abuse, neglect, self-harm, and anxiety.
Caroline Renton, Supporter Fundraising Manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “We’re extremely grateful for the support given by Edinburgh Castle and Camera Obscura in helping raise awareness of the NSPCC and its Childline service. It was fantastic to see them illuminated green on Wednesday evening.
“And thank you to all those who joined in and raised money for our Walk for Children. Every pound raised will make a difference and help Childline to be there for children, this Christmas and beyond.”
For anyone that took part in Walk for Children in Edinburgh, please remember to share any photos on social media using #WalkforChildren.
Children are worried about world issues including the war in Ukraine, climate crisis and cost-of-living crisis
The service expects to hear continuing worries from children about money and jobs, particularly in the run up to Christmas
Childline volunteers will be here for children over the festive season, despite volunteer numbers dropping considerably
Over the last three years, Childline has seen a 40% increase in the number of children turning to the service with worries about world issues including:
Coronavirus pandemic
war in Ukraine
climate crisis
death of the Queen
And now the cost-of-living crisis
From April 2021 to March 2022, the service’s trained volunteer counsellors delivered 1,242 counselling sessions to children with worries about the world compared to 889 from the same period in 2018/19.
This is an issue affecting children of all ages; however the service has seen a particular surge in counselling sessions with under 11s, up 38% compared to three years ago.
Over recent months, Childline has heard increasing concerns from children relating to money and jobs, driven by the financial pressures that many families are facing because of the cost-of-living crisis.
The service is also feeling the impact of the cost-of-living crisis: it is affecting the number of volunteers that are able give up their time to support the service and be here for children.
Childline lost over 400 volunteer counsellors nationwide during the pandemic. It managed to build its numbers up again, only for the service to see a steady decline since April of this year.
Over the past year, there have been a number of big events that have taken place across the UK and the world which have concerned young people but, this Christmas, worries will be closer to home for many.
Worries about parents losing their jobs, bills not being paid, concerns about keeping warm and not having food on the table are just some of the concerns children are sharing with Childline in relation to the cost of living.
Many are also telling the service that these worries are making them feel upset with some considering whether they need to get a job to help.
One 17-year-old girl from Scotland who contacted Childline said: “My parents split up when I was little. Dad was always drinking and gambling, eventually our house got repossessed cos he didn’t pay the mortgage.
“That’s when dad left and we ended up moving in with gran. The place is so cramped and there’s damp and mould on the walls. It’s also freezing most of the time cos we can’t afford central heating.”
As Christmas edges closer and many families continue to feel financial pressure, Childline anticipates that these kinds of worries will only continue in conversations that young people have with counsellors.
The service is getting ready to keep its 13 bases open over the festive season, including Christmas Day so it can be here to listen to those children in need and support them.
With volunteer numbers dropping the service will have a reduced number of people working across all its bases.
This is a fresh blow after the service spent months rebuilding its volunteer numbers after they lost a third during the coronavirus pandemic due to the national lockdown.
Eoin Carey, a Childline counsellor in the Glasgow centre,said: “There’s an awful lot of expectation at Christmas. If circumstances don’t allow for a child to celebrate with all the toys, food and a nuclear family, which is what is often portrayed as the ‘norm’, that can make a child feel different and like they don’t fit in.
“This can create a real sense of isolation and loneliness. Recent bereavement of a family member can also make it a very difficult time.”
He added: “The current level of poverty and hardship means that many families will be struggling to afford basic things such as heating, food and clothes let alone all the extra things.
“We know that money worries can cause stress tension and arguing in the home, which can make children feel unsafe. I think this is something we’ll hear about from a lot of young people this year.”
Dame Esther Rantzen, Childline President and Founder said: “Every Christmas we are incredibly grateful to our staff and volunteers who support children for whom this can be a very tough time.
“This Christmas will unfortunately be a particularly hard year for everyone given the financial struggles the country is currently facing.
“At Childline, our counsellors know that this is already having an impact on children, many are aware of the pressures their families are experiencing, and they are anxious about what this means for the future.
“Many of these children are worried about sharing their concerns with their own families as they fear this would put them under even more stress.
“Therefore, it is so important that Childline counsellors are here for children throughout Christmas and New Year so those young people can talk about their worries and get the support they need.”
Shaun Friel, Childline Director said: “Lots of different world issues have taken place this year which have impacted many children and young people and caused them to feel worried and concerned about their future.
“Now, given the cost-of-living crisis, money worries will sadly continue to be a key worry for children over the winter months and for some this will be having a negative impact on their mental health and well-being.
“No matter what a child’s worry is, thanks to our amazing volunteers, Childline is able to be here for those children this Christmas as a safe and confidential space where they can talk through whatever they want.
“However, our volunteer numbers are on the decline and without their support, many children would be left feeling anxious and alone.
“So, as we enter the new year, if you can offer some spare time to help Childline be here for children and young people, we would be so grateful.”
To find out more about volunteering or to help us be here for children this Christmas via a donation to our Be Here for Children Appeal you can visit the NSPCC website
CASE STUDY:
Childline counsellor talks about volunteering on Christmas Day
Eoin Carey (36), a photographer from Glasgow, has been a volunteer counsellor with the NSPCC’s Childline service at the Glasgow base for a year.
After becoming a father six years ago, Eoin, who had never spent much time around children before, discovered that he felt comfortable talking with young people and really enjoyed their company.
He decided to become a volunteer counsellor and now does regular shifts answering phone calls and online chats with children and young people. He did his first festive shift last Christmas Day, starting at 7am.
He said he felt “really happy” to be able to go in on Christmas Day and there had been “a lovely atmosphere” in the centre.
“We had all made that commitment to be there on such a big day of the year and cheered each other up by making cups of tea and having plenty of treats to share,” said Eoin.
“I had quite a lot of contacts on the day and the main thing I remember was there was a real sense of loneliness from many young people. Many children were missing relatives who couldn’t be there with them on the day because they had passed away or couldn’t travel. Some young people told me their older brothers, sisters or grandparents weren’t with them and they felt sad about that.
“When we think about Christmas we think about young people, that it’s all for them, but many children feel very lonely. There’s an even sharper recognition at Christmas that we are there for children, it really brings home the importance of being a Childline volunteer. To be in a supporting role while families are waking up, presents are being opened, is a real privilege.
“It’s sad that any children need to call us on Christmas Day but there’s an awful lot of expectation. If circumstances don’t allow for a child to celebrate with all the toys, food and a nuclear family, which is what is often portrayed as the ‘norm’, that can make a child feel different and like they don’t fit in.
“This can create a real sense of isolation and loneliness. Recent bereavement of a family member can also make it a very difficult time.”
Eoin believes that some families circumstances will be even harder this Christmas due to the cost-of-living crisis.
He added: “The current level of poverty and hardship means that many families will be struggling to afford basic things such as heating, food and clothes let alone all the extra things.
“We know that money worries can cause stress tension and arguing in the home, which can make children feel unsafe. I think this is something we’ll hear about from a lot of young people this year.”
December and January are common months for children to confide in Childline about abuse for the first time
Childline, which is run by children’s charity NSPCC, has been called the ‘fourth emergency service for children’ by its founder Dame Esther Rantzen
The helpline for children stays open 24/7 all year, even on Christmas Day
Charity relies on volunteers and public donations as two children a minute contact the service
Over the past year Childline has delivered 15,515 counselling sessions to children across the UK, including more than 600 in Scotland, where they have spoken about the abuse they have suffered or are experiencing.
In 2,267 of those counselling sessions children revealed abuse for the first time, ever.
And of these, a fifth of disclosures took place during December 2021 and January 2022, with the youngest child just nine years old.
As the Christmas school holidays are fast approaching the charity is gearing up to keep its 13 Childline bases open 24/7 over the festive period, so they can be there whenever a child chooses to disclose.
When children talk about the sexual, emotional, physical or domestic abuse affecting them for the first time with Childline counsellors, often the same emotions and feelings are described. These include shame, being scared, or worried they were the ones that had done something wrong. Others shared they didn’t know how to tell adults in their life.
In the last year, the counselling service run by the NSPCC, has also seen:
A 20% increase in the number of children under 11 being counselled for sexual abuse, when compared to the year before.
More boys revealing online sexual abuse – 45% more than the year before.
Last December a 12-year-old girl from Scotland told a Childline counsellor:
“There is a lot of trouble in my house and I want it to stop. Mum and dad are always shouting, fighting and dad hits mum. Dad smashed the house up today and I was sent upstairs, but I could hear everything. I could hear mum crying – none of this is her fault. I want him to go. Everyone says, ‘Happy Christmas’ but mine was horrible.”
And a 16-year-old girl from Scotland revealed: “My mum’s been really abusive with me lately and I can’t imagine spending the Christmas holidays with her. I need to focus on revising for my mock exams during the school break, but I know this won’t be possible in such a toxic environment.
“She makes me feel like a burden and threatens to kick me out if I get out of line. I’ve tried telling her how she makes me feel, but she just deflects it and makes me feel guilty for bringing it up. I don’t know how I’ll cope and I worry for my mental health.”
The NSPCC is releasing its latest Childline data about abuse as it launches its ‘Be here for children’ Christmas appeal, which shows why it is vitally important Childline stays open over the festive period, as statutory services close down.
The charity is growing increasingly concerned to see the number of children needing support, in particular for abuse and neglect, when the system is struggling to cope, and the cost-of-living crisis will likely leave more families needing help this Winter.
Last year, Police Scotland recorded more than 5,500 crimes of child sexual abuse. The NSPCC says this data underlines the importance of the Scottish Government making child protection a national priority in 2023.
Amber (not her real name) was sexually abused by a family member when she was 9 years old. She’s been working with the NSPCC to raise awareness of child abuse and the importance of speaking out.
She said: “Christmas was just another day to me, and I resented it. It’s a time usually considered for family and celebration. But for me, it felt like a very dark and lonely place, and ultimately, it meant having to spend time with my abuser.”
Amber can’t remember why she decided to call Childline and speak out about the abuse she was experiencing, but knew she needed someone to help her.
“I couldn’t find the words to tell my mum. But Childline finally made me feel like someone understood. When you disclose, the one big fear is that no-one will believe you. But the counsellors I spoke to were so empathetic, helpful, and kind. They knew I was telling the truth. And they gave me that bravery, that reassurance that people would believe me, and that I was doing the right thing by speaking out.”
In its new TV advert, the NSPCC highlights that on average, two children a minute contact Childline. For these children, Christmas can be the worst time of year.
The advert is based on real calls from children. Through three seemingly ordinary family scenes at Christmas we see what’s really going on for the children, with stories of loss, domestic abuse, and sexual abuse.
Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline said: “I truly believe Childline is the fourth emergency service for children. We are there when children disclose abuse, we are there when they are feeling suicidal, we are there 24/7 when others aren’t.
“Our service relies heavily on volunteers and donations to be here for children, and like everyone else we are starting to feel the effects of the cost of living.
“Every minute, two children will contact us, and its vital no call goes unanswered, particularly over Christmas when most services close leaving those children who are struggling isolated and scared.”
“It is essential that Childline is here as a vital lifeline for those children and that they can get the help they need and deserve even on Christmas day.”
Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said:“The Christmas holidays can be one of the most difficult times of the year for children, and they often need somewhere to go to confide. It is vitally important they know that Childline is here for them throughout the holidays to provide free and confidential help and advice.
“It is crucial that everyone recognises they have a part to play when it comes to keeping children safe from abuse, including government. 2022 has been a year where the importance of child protection has come to the forefront, 2023 needs to be the year of meaningful change.”
Help us be here for all children this Christmas by visiting the NSPCC website to donate. Together, we can keep children safe
The Childline service is here for children every day, even on Christmas Day. Children can contact Childline 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
When a child needs help, Childline can be a lifeline. When a child feels like they have nowhere else to turn to, it’s vital that the NSPCC is here, ready to listen and support children across the UK.
This week marks Anti-Bullying Week, an annual event in Scotland and across the UK that aims to raise awareness of bullying of children and young people. This year’s theme is ‘Listen Up! (Respect our Rights)’ and we would like to highlight the ways in which bullying can be prevented and how to respond to it.
From April 2021 to March 2022, Childline delivered 374 counselling sessions to children and young people in Scotland about bullying. 331 of these counselling sessions were about bullying in-person, an 39% increase compared to the year before when there was the national covid lockdown.
The top three concerns where a child spoke to Childline about in-person bullying included, insults, taunts, name-calling; bullying about difference and violence. For online bullying, the top three concerns included nasty comments, threats, and intimidation.
If you’re a parent or carer, it can be tough to know what to do if you think your child is being bullied. Talking to them and reminding them to come to you with anything that might be making them feel anxious or sad is important. You can also show them how to report or block a message that they’ve received from someone online that upsets or worries them.
It’s best not to take their device away from them if they’ve had a negative experience online, as this may make them feel like whatever has happened is their fault. Instead, suggest they take some time away to do something else they enjoy.
And as always, parents can call the NSPCC Helpline for advice and support on 0808 800 5000. Children and young people can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or www.childline.org.uk to speak to one of our counsellors.
There are several resources for coping with bullying on the Childline web site that parents can support their children to have a look at. We also have a message board where young people can seek support and advice from other young people for managing bullying.
