ChildLine Warns Of Modern Pressures On Kids
The pressures of modern life are creating a generation of children plagued by loneliness and low self-esteem, ChildLine is warning on its 30th anniversary.
The pressures of modern life are creating a generation of children plagued by loneliness and low self-esteem, ChildLine is warning on its 30th anniversary.
In 1986 when the round-the-clock service began children were mostly concerned about pregnancy, bullying and physical and sexual abuse.
But today their confidence and happiness is being destroyed by an onslaught from cyber-bullying, social media pressure, and the desire to copy celebrities as they strive to achieve the ‘perfect’ image. Over the years this has led to a huge increase in loneliness, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders and self-harm, problems which did not really exist in the calls ChildLine received 30 years ago.
The NSPCC-run service, which has now helped over four million children, reports young people coming forward in their droves to confide just how desperate, alone, and sad they feel. In 2014/15 there were 35,244 counselling sessions for low self- esteem- an increase of nine per cent from the previous year.
When the service launched in 1986 children exclusively made contact by street corner phone boxes or home land-lines – or freepost letter.
But whilst thousands of children are still reporting sexual abuse, latest figures show children are now very concerned about the pressures of social media and battling low self- esteem and unhappiness. Increasingly children are going online to talk about their problems as they find it easier to communicate this way.
Last year fewer than one in three counselling sessions took place via phone with 71 per cent involving 1-2-1 chat or email. This is the third year in a row that ChildLine has counselled more young people online than by phone, as the trend to reach out via the internet continues.
These latest figures from ChildLine reveal that girls are more likely to be affected by low self-esteem and unhappiness – it was their second highest concern and the fourth for boys.
Tellingly it also seems to strike with the start of secondary school and continues throughout teenage years, with more than half of contacts coming from 12-18-year-olds contacting ChildLine to talk about the problem.
One 13-year-old girl told a counsellor: “I hate myself. When I look at other girls online posting photos of themselves it makes me feel really worthless and ugly. I’m struggling to cope with these feelings and stay in my bedroom most of the time. I’m always worrying about what other people are thinking of me. I feel so down.”
And a 14-year-old boy said: “I used to go onto a lot of social media sites and socialise, but now that I don’t have access I feel really cut-off and isolated. I don’t really have many friends in real-life and spend a lot of time in my bedroom on my laptop. I don’t have much confidence in myself and I feel as if my life is really depressing.”
Many children reported the ever-growing influence of the internet in their lives was leaving them feeling isolated, with many saying that social media led to them comparing themselves to others, and feeling inferior, ugly, and unpopular as a result.
Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of ChildLine, said: “It is thanks to the skill and commitment of generations of ChildLine staff and volunteers over the last 30 years that we have been able to help more than 4 million children. But it is a national tragedy that British children are so unhappy. I remember in 1986 how shocked we were to discover that so many children were suffering terrible abuse in their own homes. But today I am shocked by the acute unhappiness and loneliness that afflicts so many young people which means that, for many, the only place they can find comfort and protection is from our helpline.”
Peter Wanless, NSPCC Chief Executive, said: 'It is clear from the hundreds of thousands of calls ChildLine receives that we have a nation of deeply unhappy children. The pressure to keep up with friends and have the perfect life online is adding to the sadness that many young people feel on a daily basis. The worries that young people face and the way they talk to us have dramatically changed since ChildLine was launched, and we will change to make sure that no matter what, young people will have a place to turn to whenever they need it. Times may change but one thing stays the same - our vital helpline is often the only place that many young people feel they can turn to.’
For Further Information please contact: 020 7825 2514 or media@nspcc.org.uk