Childline annual review

What children and young people have been talking to Childline about over the last year

Our Childline service gives children and young people a safe and confidential space to talk, be listened to and get support.

Our annual review explores what children and young people are telling Childline during counselling sessions. It looks at who is contacting Childline, why, when and how. It includes a closer look at some of the biggest issues of the year.

Key findings from the Childline annual review 2017/18: "The courage to talk" 

How many children and young people contacted Childline

• In 2017/18, Childline provided over 278,000 counselling sessions to children and young people.
• The Childline website received over 3.1 million web visits. 

What children and young people contacted Childline about

• There were over 106,000 counselling sessions about mental and emotional health and wellbeing issues (including self-harm and suicidal thoughts or feelings).
• There were almost 21,300 counselling sessions about anxiety.
• There were over 24,500 counselling sessions about suicidal thoughts and feelings - the highest ever.
• The top three concerns young people were counselled about were mental and emotional health; family relationships; and suicidal thoughts and feelings.
• There were over 22,100 counselling sessions where a child or young person’s main concern was abuse (this includes sexual, physical, or emotional abuse and neglect). 

Quotes

"My mum and dad are going through a separation at the moment and it’s the most depressing thing I could ever imagine. I have my GCSE’s next year too and everything is getting on top of me. I don’t know how to cope so I just panic. I feel so down."
Girl, 14

"I was wondering how you can become a Childline counsellor because when I’m older I want to be able to help young people like you helped me."
Boy, 12

Citation

NSPCC (2018) The courage to talk: Childline annual review 2017/18. London: NSPCC.