Mental health concerns behind most calls to Childline, charity reveals

More than half of all counselling sessions for children contacting Childline in Scotland were on mental health struggles, the charity has said.

The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) service gave 8,507 counselling sessions to children north of the border in 2022/23, and 54% of these – 4,672 – focused on mental and emotional health and wellbeing.

Of these, more than a quarter – 1,310 – were on stress and anxiety.

This was followed by 634 on low mood and unhappiness, 292 on depression, 287 on accessing support and services for mental health, and 210 on loneliness.

One 15-year-old girl told Childline: “I’ve been struggling with even basic tasks lately because of anxiety.

I get filled with panic, can’t function and then I get angry with myself, so it gets even worse. It’s really frustrating.

“I want to tell someone but I’m not sure if my problems are important to anyone.”

NSPCC Scotland said it is vital that children are able to access early intervention support, such as through school, which can prevent young people’s mental health problems from getting worse and potentially reaching crisis point.

It said better support for families during pregnancy and the early years should be a top priority for Scottish Government investment, since it can lay the foundations for positive mental health.

Childline director Shaun Friel said: “Young people may struggle with a range of mental health issues throughout their childhood and adolescence. This can be a time of turbulence and so it’s important that children feel supported and uplifted.

“Ensuring that young people have a network of support, whether that’s in school, with their peers, at home or through organisations such as Childline, helps young people take the first step to tackling these struggles.

“Childline is here for any child that may be struggling with their mental and emotional wellbeing.”

All children can speak to a trained counsellor over the phone on 0800 1111, by email or online through the Childline website.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “It is vital that children and young people receive the right support at the right time.

To enable early intervention and prevention, we have invested £45 million in the last three years to provide community-based mental health support for children, young people and their families.

“Local authorities report that 45,000 people accessed those services between July and December last year alone.

“In addition, counsellors are available through schools across Scotland, backed by £16 million in funding per year, so children are able to have their mental health needs met earlier.”