The NSPCC’s Childline has delivered 305 counselling sessions to young people in Scotland about gender identity and sexuality in the past year.
In more than 170 of these counselling sessions, young people mentioned coming out as a concern – an 11% increase from the previous year.
The children’s charity has released this data to mark Pride Month. Childline currently has around 370 volunteer counsellors, across its Glasgow and Aberdeen bases, who have heard first-hand how tough the past year has been for many children and young people due to challenges posed by the Coronavirus pandemic. Many have struggled with local lockdowns and being cut off from their usual support networks, while others have been worried about returning to school.
However, some young people described the lockdown as a time of reflection and a chance to take stock, and finding confidence to come out to their friends and family. Some also talked about feeling worried about the reaction they would get from other people.
A young person who spoke to Childline said: “I want to tell somebody that I’m gay but I just can’t find the courage to. I don’t want people to judge me or treat me any differently if they find out. Some people really hate gay people and I’m scared of what will happen if I tell someone”. (Girl, aged 12)
As restrictions continue to ease, it remains vital that all children and young people know where they can access help and support.
This Pride Month, Childline reminds young people that the service is here for them. All children can speak to a trained volunteer counsellor over the phone, via email or on a one-to-one chat on the Childline website.
The NSPCC also has information on it’s website for parents and carers on how to talk to children about their sexuality and advice on how to help keep them safe.
Lauren Burke, Childline Glasgow team manager, said: “At Childline, we know that coming out or speaking about sexuality and gender identity can be really challenging.
“Many children and young people who have spoken to our trained volunteer counsellors have described their time under lockdown as a period of reflection, a chance to think about important issues in their lives, both recent and historic.
“Some children with sexuality and gender concerns revealed that lockdown had been particularly hard for them, as they’d been cut off from their usual support networks. Whereas others told Childline that lockdown had given them the confidence and freedom to come out to their friends and family.
“No matter what a young person’s experience is with coming out or speaking about their gender identity or sexuality, at Childline we believe every young person has a right to be listened to and speak about any worries or questions they may have without feeling judged.
“If a young person feels unable to speak to a trusted adult in their life then we would encourage them to speak to Childline.”
Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111.
Since April last year, our trained Childline counsellors have delivered more than 73,000 counselling sessions with young people who were struggling with their mental and emotional health. And more than 5,000 of these counselling sessions were with children aged 11 or under, an increase of nearly a third when compared to the year before.
However, as a charity that receives 90% of our income from the public, we know this is something we have not achieved alone, and we are hugely grateful for the dedication and commitment of our supporters, which allow us to continue this work.
One way that the public can support us is through the People’s Postcode Lottery, and since 2018, players have provided crucial funding to the sum of almost £6 million to the NSPCC to help the charity keep children safe and well.
The funds have been used to support our vital services across Scotland. This includes our schools service programme, helping primary school children speak out and stay safe from abuse, and our service centre in Govan, Glasgow, providing therapeutic services to families. And, of course, Childline, which provides free and confidential counselling to children and young people in need of support.
Childline is a lifeline for many children and over the past year thousands of young people have needed it more than ever due to the challenges they have faced during the pandemic. Local lockdowns, school closures, isolation and the impact of being separated from family and friends led many children to get in touch with the service over the phone or online.
The money raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery has been invaluable in helping our frontline staff be here for children during their darkest hours.
Moving forward, as lockdown restrictions continue to ease, it remains vital that children and young people know where they can access help and support.
We can only make a difference for children together, and we simply couldn’t continue to run services like Childline without the public’s support.
The service made nearly 2,500 referrals to external agencies such as the police and local authorities from April 2020 to March 2021, compared with 1,781 in 2019/20.
Referrals are made when concerns reported to the helpline are considered to be serious enough to warrant further investigation or if it is felt a family needs support.
The figures echo concerns from the charity’s frontline teams that the pandemic has increased the risks of abuse and neglect, with children both more vulnerable and out of sight of people who can keep them safe.
The NSPCC is now warning that with most children back in schools and society, the hidden harms they experienced during the lockdowns will become visible.
The charity is calling for the Governments across the UK to invest in a positive future for children by ensuring their catch-up plans go beyond education.
In the short term, they must address the harm and trauma children may have faced in the past 12 months, but Governments must also use the opportunity to invest in keeping children safe and well in the future.
The charity believes that investing in support for very young children must be a priority for the next Scottish Government, because this is a particularly vulnerable stage in life when foundations for lifelong health and wellbeing are built.
It is crucial that there is substantial investment in public services – universal and specialist – so all parents in Scotland are supported to give their children the best start in life.
This includes worries about parental alcohol and substance misuse, domestic abuse and parental mental health.
This was followed by:
Physical abuse, which increased by 42% to 490 referrals
Neglect, which increased by 2% to 422 referrals
Emotional abuse, which increased by 15% to 289 referrals
A parent from Scotland who contacted the helpline said: “I was recently let go from my job and I haven’t been coping well with the stress of it all. I’ve been drinking more than I used to and me and my wife argue almost every day.
“Sometimes the rows happen in front of our two-year old daughter – I’m worried what affect it must be having on her.
“Me and my wife have tried couples counselling in the past but it didn’t really work for us. I really want to get my anger under control so I’m hoping you might be able to help.”
Undertake a Scotland-wide needs assessment to build a true picture of infancy across the country and where there are gaps in support, or systems which need to change.
Follow the blueprint set out in the Independent Care Review’s Promise report, build intensive family support provision, considering specifically what support families with young children need.
Invest in specialist services which support the parent-child relationships so all parents in Scotland are enabled to give their children the best start in life.
Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC CEO, said:‘”We’ve been hearing first-hand about the immense pressures families have faced during the pandemic and the heavy toll that has taken on children and young people. For some children, this has included experiencing abuse, bereavement and other harm.
“The record number of contacts to our helpline reinforces the need for Governments across the UK to put children at the heart of their recovery plans. These must go beyond education and address the harm some have experienced so the pandemic doesn’t leave a legacy of trauma for children.
“But this isn’t just a job for our Governments. Everyone has to play their part in keeping children safe. And that’s why we’re planning Childhood Day on 11 June when we’ll celebrate childhood and encourage people to get involved in making sure all children grow up happy and safe.”
The campaign will celebrate childhood by bringing the nation together to play, raise money and help keep children safe. It will put a spotlight on what it is to be a child, whilst also showing we must work together to prevent abuse and protect children.
Linda Hamilton, from Port Seton, has worked as a community fundraising manager for NSPCC Scotland for four years and will take on the three-day challenge as part of this year’s virtual Kiltwalk. The money raised will be topped up by 50% by the Hunter Foundation, organisers of the annual event.
Linda Hamilton, community fundraising manager for NSPCC Scotland, said: “This last year has been tough for all of us, and children have been the hidden victims of the pandemic.
“With schools closed for lots of the last year, children have been cut off from their friends and support networks, with many young people feeling alone and isolated, and some, sadly, having to deal with bereavement.”
The NSPCC supports children and young people around the country by providing its Childline service, which children can contact to speak to a trained counsellor about anything they are worried about.
The charity also has a service centre in Govan, Glasgow, which provides community outreach and therapeutic services to local families, helping them to provide the best support to their children.
Linda added: “It has also been a challenging year for fundraising, as most events were postponed, cancelled or held virtually. But that’s not stopped our amazing supporters from coming up with innovative ways of raising funds.
“After last year’s Kiltwalk was cancelled, one of our Childline volunteers, Siobhain, took it upon herself to walk a full marathon in her back garden, taking her more than eight hours, raising £1,000.
“We’ve also had people host virtual quizzes and bingo games, as well as ‘celebrate and donate’ in which supporters have simply set up a Just Giving page and asked their friends and family to make a donation instead of buying them a gift for their birthday or other celebration.
“I signed up for my three-day Kiltwalk challenge because I know how important the work of the NSPCC is, and the real difference it can make in children and young people’s lives.”
Linda will complete the challenge around Port Seton, and the ‘tennisathon’ will take place at her local club of eight years, Longniddry Tennis Club.
Linda said: “We can only continue to be there to support children and young people with the help of the general public, and if anyone would like to fundraise for the NSPCC, please do get in touch with me at linda.hamilton@nspcc.org.uk”
To sign up for this year’s virtual Kiltwalk, and raise money for NSPCC Scotland, search ‘virtual kiltwalk’, and to sponsor Linda in her challenge visit: https://bit.ly/3mvhfsY
Any adult concerned about the welfare of a child or young person can call the NSPCC helpline for free on 0808 800 5000. Children can call Childline at any time on 0800 1111.
The charity is hosting its second virtual ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assembly on Tuesday morning at 10am to help keep children safe and well during the pandemic
Parents and children are being encouraged to join the assembly that will be held on the NSPCC Facebook page
The first virtual assembly that aired online in June has had more than 100,000 views
Amid growing concerns about the impact of COVID19 on children’s safety and mental health and wellbeing the NSPCC is holding a second virtual ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ assembly on Facebook tomorrow (Tuesday February 23rd) at 10am.
The special broadcast suitable for children aged five and over aims to help them understand how to speak to a trusted adult if they feel anxious or worried, and it explains the support that Childline can offer.
It will also focus on some additional concerns that some children are experiencing due to the pandemic.
The assembly will see the return of guest hosts Ant & Dec and features an appearance from comedian David Walliams. The TV duo who have been long term supporters of the children’s charity hosted the first online assembly in June last year which received over 100,000 views on Facebook and YouTube.
A recording of Tuesday’s online assembly will also be available on the NSPCC’s website, Facebook and YouTube channel after the event for anyone who misses it.
One Facebook user who watched the first assembly said:” My boys loved it and following a family bereavement this gave them an opportunity to talk about their feelings. We took blank paper and marked it for every worry or fear we had and shared.”
With many vulnerable children still facing increased risks at home and with others struggling with their mental health due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, it’s vital that children know what to do and who to speak if something is worrying or upsetting them.
The coronavirus related worries the assembly will cover include, children not being able to see their family and friends, changes in daily routines, experiencing new feelings and spending more time online.
Guest hosts Ant & Dec said:
Ant: “After what has been an incredibly difficult start to the year for many young people, we feel privileged to once again be hosting the NSPCC’s virtual assembly for children and their families.
Dec: “We hope we can remind children that they don’t have to just carry their worries with them – they can always speak to someone they trust if they’re feeling sad, overwhelmed, or unsafe.”
Service Head of School Service, Janet Hinton said: “The lockdown has turned the lives of children upside down and many are struggling to cope with the challenges it has posed.
“Although our trained ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ staff can’t currently go into schools, it is essential that every child knows who they can turn to if they need help and support.
“After watching the assembly, parents and carers can continue this conversation with their children by visiting the NSPCC website where they can find additional activities.”
Prior to the pandemic, ‘Speak Out. Stay Safe’ had been delivered in 96% of primary schools across Scotland with trained NSPCC volunteers and staff delivering the assembly and workshop with the help of ‘Speak Out. Stay safe’ mascot, Buddy the speech bubble.
The importance of empowering children to understand that they have the right to speak out and stay safe has been highlighted in a recent court case which saw 63-year-old Sidney Sales from Luton jailed for three years after a girl spoke about the abuse she had suffered following seeing the NSPCC assembly at school.
Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.
The latest data from the NSPCC shows there has been an increase in contacts about this issue from children aged 12 to 15, across the country, since the end of March last year.
In the latter nine months of 2020, the average monthly number of contacts from this age group was 100 compared to 88 in the first three months of the year.
Across the UK, the service has now delivered a total of 54,926 counselling sessions to children of all ages on this issue from April to the end of December against the backdrop of the pandemic.
Childline counselling is delivered by volunteers and in response to these latest worrying figures and with COVID restrictions continuing, the service is urgently appealing to those who can spare four hours one evening a week or at the weekend to volunteer at either our Glasgow or Aberdeen base, so Childline can be here for children when they need us the most.
With schools closed to the majority of pupils until at least February and the whole of mainland Scotland in lockdown, Childline has never been more important as a source of support for young people who are struggling. Now more than ever, it is essential that children are not left isolated, alone and unsupported.
Over the past ten months, the NSPCC-run service’s trained counsellors have heard first-hand the devastating impact that the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic have had on young people’s mental health.
Children who contacted Childline’s trained counsellors about their mental health spoke about concerns including loneliness, low mood, low self-esteem, depression and anxiety.
Some have been feeling isolated and overwhelmed due to concerns about family members catching the virus, or school closures and cancelled exams – while others have felt cut off from support networks and are missing family and friends.
One girl aged 16 who contacted Childline said: “I feel really sad and lonely. I need to talk to someone because I don’t really have anyone right now.
“I am really struggling with the whole isolation thing. Most days I find myself just lost in my own thoughts and feeling numb. I am classed as a vulnerable person, so my isolation lasts for 12 weeks, which seems like a lifetime.”
Since the first lockdown last year, mental health has remained the top concern that children and young people talked to Childline about.
The service has delivered an average of 346 counselling sessions every month on this issue with the numbers fluctuating throughout the year as the situation changes and Covid restrictions were lifted and re-imposed. Since the latest national lockdown many children have been reaching out and talking about this and Childline is continuing to support them with their worries.
During the pandemic, Childline has continued to adapt to ensure it can still be here for children including developing online training so volunteers can answer emails from young people remotely. However, despite this, since last March volunteer numbers have dropped by 40%.
Despite, the latest national lockdown, Childline will remain open and staff and volunteers have been given key worker status to continue their vital work. Sparing a few hours, one evening a week or at the weekend volunteering at a local Childline base can help ensure Childline continues to support children who often have nowhere to turn.
But there is also a range of other ways to support the charity, including taking on a sponsored challenge, Kick the Caffeine, or fundraising in the community.
https://youtu.be/cbCBGTtbd-U
Childline Founder and President, Dame Esther Rantzen said:“With schools now shut again and children spending more time behind closed doors, it is absolutely imperative that Childline is there for them.
“Many young people, especially those in unsafe homes, are feeling desperately anxious and depressed. School can be the only safe haven they know, and without that support they feel entirely alone. For them, Childline is literally a life-line.
“But the service urgently needs more volunteers to listen to and support children, and more funds to pay for their calls and on-line contacts, and for that we depend upon the generosity and compassion of the public.
“It is the NSPCC’s mission to make 2021 a better year for children, and with your help we can make this dream a reality.”
Lou Bewick, who is a Childline volunteer counsellor in the Glasgow base, said:“Each shift I work, I hear from children and young people about how this pandemic has affected their life, and how it has impacted their mental and emotional health.
“Childline is here for children, and will continue to offer support from trained counsellors when they contact us about anything that worries them.
“However, we currently can’t answer every child so, if you can, please sign up and volunteer for Childline and help us reach every child who needs our support.”
The NSPCC has been supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery who provided crucial funding of £1,000,000 to Childline last year, the equivalent of running the service for an entire month.
Children can call Childline on 0800 11 11 from 7.30am to 3.30 am from Monday to Friday or 9am to 3.30am at weekends.
Latest figures show that the average monthly number of referrals from the NSPCC helpline to external agencies about child abuse in Scotland has increased by more than 50%
Over 900 referrals made by the helpline to agencies in Scotland about child abuse and neglect in eight months since the start of lockdown
The NSPCC is highlighting the vital role its team of professionals and volunteer counsellors will play to support children over the festive period, urging the public to support its Here for Children Christmas Appeal
Concerns about child abuse have soared since national lockdown measures were first introduced, the NSPCC has found – with the average monthly number of referrals from the charity’s helpline on the issue increasing by more than 50% in Scotland.
Since April, the helpline has received 31,359 contacts from adults across the UK who were anxious about child abuse or neglect, referring half (50%) of these on to external agencies like the police and social services to take further action.
In Scotland, this has led to a 56% increase in the average monthly figure from 72 at the start of the year, compared to 113 after lockdown. Over the last eight months, there has been more than 900 referrals from the helpline concerning the abuse of children in Scotland.
As the festive period fast approaches, the NSPCC has issued the findings as a warning that Christmas can be a very difficult time for children suffering abuse and neglect, and the impact of the Coronavirus could put even more children at risk.
To help protect children stuck at home in environments that are not safe, the charity is urging the public to search “NSPCC” and donate £20 via it’s Here for Children Christmas appeal page.
A concerned adult told the NSPCC helpline: “I am ringing with concerns for 3 children who I believe are being emotionally abused and neglected. The police were recently called to the family home because the mother was drunk and had left the children at home alone all night.
“The father, who no longer lives with the children, found out and came to the house saying he was going to take the children home with him. The children have said they want to move in with me before Christmas because they don’t want to live with their Mum or Dad.
“They are really worried that their mothers drinking will get worse over Christmas, as it has done in the past. I fear they could be right as her drinking is becoming worse and she has been drunk more frequently in recent months. They need urgent help.”
Kamaljit Thandi, Head of NSPCC helpline said: “These figures highlight the increase in the number of adults reaching out with concerns about the welfare of children since the first national lockdown began.
“It’s no secret that this Christmas is going to be a very different one and for thousands of children, being stuck at home for the holidays will be a terrifying thought. At the NSPCC, we know how important it is that people have the opportunity to speak up when they think a child is at risk of abuse and neglect. Our helpline for adults and Childline will be open every day over the festive period.”
As well as urging the public to be extra vigilant during the Christmas holidays, NSPCC Scotland is urging the Scottish Government to ensure children and families can get the help they need in the short and long term.
To avoid this crisis having a lasting impact on a generation of children, it is crucial that the Scottish Government invests long-term funding to support them to recover from adverse and traumatic experiences during lockdown and to rebuild their lives.
The charity’s team of professionals working on its helpline for concerned adults and the dedicated volunteer counsellors at Childline will all play a vital role in being here for children this Christmas.
Pauline, a volunteer counsellor at Childline said: “At Childline we know how important it is that we are here for children over the Christmas period. We are there for young people when they need the service the most and for many – Christmas will be that time.
“The pandemic has had a huge impact on young people and for the many who will have nowhere else to turn, we will provide a vital listening ear.”
Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week throughout the festive period on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk
More than 250 offences of communicating indecently with a child in Scotland in four months after lockdown began
UK Prime Minister told bring forward tough Online Harms legislation that combats crime and brings in meaningful sanctions for rogue tech firms
Online grooming crimes in Scotland were more than 30% higher while children were not at school during the Coronavirus pandemic compared with the same months last year, the NSPCC can reveal.
The new data shows Police Scotland recorded 268 offences of communicating indecently with a child from April 1 to July 31 this year compared to 203 crimes in the same period last year, with the true scale of the problem likely to be much higher.
Yesterday, Police Scotland revealed that it had seen an 18% rise in all online child sexual abuse crimes between April and September this year compared to the same period last year.*
The findings have led to renewed calls for Boris Johnson to get tough on tech firms that fail to do enough to prevent offenders exploiting their sites and abusing children.
Offences have also increased annually in the three years prior to lockdown. In total, there were 1,661 offences recorded by Police Scotland from April 2017 to March 2020, with experts saying poorly designed social media sites are putting children at risk.
The NSPCC warned the pandemic had created a perfect storm for online offenders and believes these figures could mark the start of a surge in online grooming crimes.
With ongoing Coronavirus restrictions across the UK and children spending more time at home and online, the charity believes that the risk of online abuse will continue to spike, and many more offences may come to light when children report them at school.
One girl who contacted Childline during the pandemic said: “I am 12 and I don’t have social media but I wanted to get online and chat to people since my friends had done it and told me it would be fun. It started off fine with the occasional ‘hi’ and then men started sending d*** pics and saying really personal things.”
The new data comes as the UK Prime Minister makes vital decisions about online harms legislation that will create a Duty of Care on tech firms, with an announcement expected within weeks.
It’s understood the Online Harms White Paper consultation response has been signed off by the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport and the Home Office and is sitting with Boris Johnson.
The Prime Minister is being urged to ensure companies and named managers can be held criminally responsible for failing to protect children from avoidable harm and abuse.
The need for a bold and ambitious response from Government has been heightened by the knock-on effects of the pandemic.
Criminals are exploiting the fact that children are spending more time online and high-risk video chatting and livestreaming services have become more popular.
After years of failed self-regulation, many platforms were easily exploitable for groomers during lockdown, with many seeing the crisis as an opportunity to commit abuse.
The NSPCC wants the upcoming Online Harms Bill to compel firms to consider child protections when they design their sites to prevent harm rather than react once the damage is done.
But it is warning tough deterrents will be needed to make some of the world’s biggest companies stand up and listen, and is concerned the UK Government may not go far enough.
NSPCC Chief Executive Peter Wanless said:“Families have long paid the price for big tech’s failure to protect children from abuse, but the Prime Minister has the chance to turn the tide and put responsibility on firms to clean up the mess they created.
“As the pandemic intensifies the threat children face online, bold and ambitious action is needed in the form of a world-leading Online Harms Bill.
“This means legislation that is tough on online crimes against children and regulation that holds tech companies and bosses financially and criminally responsible if they continue to turn a blind eye to entirely avoidable harm.”
Detective Chief Superintendent Samantha McCluskey, head of Police Scotland’s Public Protection Unit, said: “The digital world opens up massive opportunities for us all.
“As a society it has become integral to our daily lives, particularly for children and young people, whose key means of communication during this pandemic has been online. It is important that we take every opportunity to ensure young people stay safe and are protected.
“Online predators will infiltrate those platforms and apps most used by children. Tech companies and service providers have a key role, and a responsibility, in ensuring young people can access their services safely and that predators are identified and dealt with before they can groom or abuse children in the virtual or real world. Working together we can make the online world safe for all children.”
Last month the NSPCC laid out six tests the UK Government’s regulation of social media will be judged on if it is to achieve bold and lasting protections for children online.
The charity said in order to make the UK a world-leader in child protection online, regulation must:
Create an expansive, principles-based duty of care
Comprehensively tackle online sexual abuse
Put legal but harmful content on an equal footing with illegal material
Have robust transparency and investigatory powers
Hold industry to account with criminal and financial sanctions
Give civil society a legal voice for children with user advocacy arrangements.
Instagram was the most used platform in child grooming crimes during lockdown, research by the NSPCC suggests.
New data shows there were more than 1,200 online grooming crimes recorded against children in the three months from April to June, with the true scale of the problem likely to be much higher.
The figures reveal how Instagram is increasingly being exploited by offenders. It was used in 37% of cases where the platform was recorded, compared with 29% over the previous three years.
The findings have led to renewed calls for Boris Johnson to get tough on tech firms that fail to do enough to prevent offenders exploiting their sites and abusing children.
Freedom of Information responses from 38 police forces in England and Wales show that 1,220 offences of Sexual Communication with a Child were recorded in the first three months of lockdown.
Facebook-owned apps (Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp) were used in 51% of instances where the means of communication was recorded. Snapchat was used in 20% of instances for which data was available.
Young people share that they don’t fit in or feel ‘normal’
Childline launches Nobody is Normal campaign to let children know they aren’t alone
Since lockdown measures were first introduced Childline has delivered almost 2,500 counselling sessions with children in Scotland about mental and emotional health issues including loneliness and low self-esteem.
Childline’s volunteer counsellors have heard from many children who, after being cut off from important support networks, shared that they were feeling isolated, anxious and insecure.
Now, with stricter social-distancing measures imposed again across the UK, Childline is launching a new campaign called Nobody is Normal. It aims to help children understand that lacking confidence, feeling not good enough or that you don’t fit in, is a shared experience. Childline is encouraging them not to suffer in silence.
Developed with young people, the campaign features a bold new animation of a young boy who is struggling with anxiety while desperately trying to appear ‘normal’. Backed by Radiohead’s hit song Creep, it reminds young people that no matter how isolated they feel, they are not alone and Childline is here.
Childline delivered higher monthly numbers of counselling sessions with children in Scotland about a range of mental health-related issues in April, May and June, including low self-esteem, loneliness and worries about the world. Mental health remains the top reason young people get in touch with Childline, making up over a third of all counselling sessions delivered in the UK.
In the last seven months, Childline has delivered nearly 43,000 counselling sessions about mental and emotional health with children across the UK.
The NSPCC, which runs Childline, can also reveal that the number of UK contacts about body image, gender and sexuality increased since the end of March.
Since lockdown measures were first introduced, the monthly average number of Childline counselling sessions across the UK about eating and body image disorders increased by almost a third (32%) on the pre-lockdown average. Similarly, the monthly average number of sessions about sexuality and gender identity increased by 16% compared with the pre-lockdown average.
Counsellors have heard that some children have developed unhealthy eating behaviours for the first time such as binge eating and bulimia nervosa, and those with existing eating disorders have experienced worsened symptoms, or a relapse.
While the service has heard that lockdown gave some LGBTQ+ children the confidence to come out to their friends and family, others expressed fears about coming out and some young people were left unable to cope after receiving a negative response.
A 14-year-old child told Childline: “I think I’m transgender and I have no one to talk to. I have always been a tomboy and never fitted in with the girls. I was fine with it for a while, but recently I have become very uncomfortable with my gender and I’m really struggling. I feel stuck, I wish someone can help me.”
A young girl told Childline: “I don’t know if it’s just me being sad because of lockdown, but I’ve been feeling really disgusting in my own body lately. All my friends have clear and beautiful skin with even tones, but mine is spotty and red and covered in freckles. I just feel like I’m always the odd one out”
Childline Founder, Dame Esther Rantzen said: “The pandemic has cut children off from the reassurance many of them need. When young people are facing mental health issues such as anxiety or depression or are struggling with eating disorders or self-harm, they often hide it from their parents and families.
“A lockdown intensifies stress in all our lives, and the Childline team know from past experience that it has made many children feel especially isolated.
“The Nobody is Normal campaign encourages any children feeling unable to discuss their anxiety and distress to reach out to Childline for support. Many young people are under immense pressure from social media to look and behave like everyone else, but the campaign recognises that we are all individuals, special and unique.
“If these tough times have caused children to feel an extra level of anxiety, we want them to feel confident to express their fears and share their worries, and know that Childline is still here for them.”
Anti-Bullying Awareness Week runs from the 11-15 November 2020. In this article Need2Know Books looks at the effects that social distancing and lockdown measures have had on children as social media dependency and online screen time increases, creating more opportunities for cyberbullying.
Enhanced anxiety and stress are not the only conditions parents and caregivers need to be careful of in this world of ‘new normal.’ Arecent multidisciplinary research report found that the consequences of quarantine and social distancing measures are themselves key risk factors for mental health issues which includes cyberbullying among children.
There is no question that bullying numbers will rise in 2020 as many school’s moved classes online during the Spring and Summer months.
This Increase in online screen time has created more opportunities for cyberbullying and harassment. Unfortunately, one of the darker sides of COVID-19 is the rise of racial issues and cyberbullying among children.
Recent research has found that because the virus originated from Wuhan, China and has largely been referred to as the “Chinese virus”, this has increased bullying among children of Asian descent who are at a greater risk of racial bullying than their classmates. Bullying has largely been done through private and text messaging in a ‘virtual’ environment.
More than 1.5 billion children worldwide have been affected by school closures. As a result, children have been forced to go online for learning as well as for hobbies and social activities.
It has been reported that 82% of parents said that their children’s screen time has increased during lockdown
30% said that their children were having an extra four hours or more of non-school related screen time per day
Children, especially adolescents and teens, are spending a greater amount of time on apps such as such as Zoom, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook.
Prior to the pandemic parents have been extremely concerned about their children’s screen time and have struggled to limit this. The problem that has always faced parents is that they cannot always protect their children from cyberbullying, grooming and inappropriate messages online.
Cyberbullying in the virtual world
Despite some of the positive benefits of online learning research has found that the darker elements of school life transitioned online.
Cyberbullying has been on the rise before lockdown – some reports suggest that just 20% of bullying takes place at school now.
Cyberbullying incidents increased by 70% between March and April this year when lock down was at its peak.
The strain placed on mental health caused by being confined to the home for weeks at a time could be making matters worse.
The UK government has published guidelines online titled “Coronavirus (Covid-19): support for parents and carers to keep children safe online” which is available to view.
Tips and Advice
Have the ‘talk’ open the lines of communication between yourself and your child. Discuss what cyberbullying is and what to do when it happens.
Don’t be afraid to set guidelines and take control of what your children see and do online.
The applications used by schools all have tools for reporting abuse. Show your kids where to find the abuse reporting tools and how to fill in the forms.
Keep any evidence of inappropriate messages and report it to a school official ie. teacher, headteacher or school nurse.
Use your parental controls. Androids, Apple and Windows all have built in parental controls These allow parents to block inappropriate content, control access to apps, and limit screen time.
We enter an uncertain future with lockdown restrictions continuing into the winter months. It is important that parents find positive ways to curtail the ‘pandemic effect’ and find a balance with online screen time to help avoid cyberbullying. If you are concerned about a child’s mental welfare or notice worrying behaviour, please seek professional advice.
For more information and advice on cyberbullying visit:
