NSPCC ready to help thousands of children at Christmas

Childline – the free counselling service provided by the charity – will be open to children and young people through December, including Christmas Day, providing essential support

All through the year, Childline offers support to anyone aged under 19 with any issue they may be facing. But that need is especially great at Christmas.

Photo by Katie Gerrard

Last year, Childline delivered 5,499 counselling sessions over the 12-day period between December 23, 2023 and January 4, 2024. That’s an average of 450 sessions per day, or one every 45 seconds. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), which runs the Childline service, expects a similar demand this year.

All through the year, the main reasons that children and young people contact Childline are to do with problems concerning mental health and well-being. Yet a number of issues are particularly prevalent over Christmas.

These include issues such as adults drinking too much, conflict within families when they gather together and the impact of bereavement, which can be acutely felt at this time of year as the young person faces the prospect of Christmas without a loved one. Other issues related to Christmas include feeling pressure to eat more than normal, or feeling guilt, envy or jealousy about presents received.

As examples, the charity cites two anonymised examples. A boy of 15 told Childline: ‘Christmas can be a tough time for me as there’s a lot of pressure to be “okay”, even though inside I know I’m not. And New Year’s is just as difficult. Many people see NYE as a new beginning, but to me it’s the start of surviving another 365 days and knowing that most of those days will probably be spent with me feeling down about something. It’s the most draining thing ever!’

Meanwhile, an 18 year-old girl told her counsellor: ‘I can’t deal with my dad when he’s drinking. He promised me 2023 would be the year he’d quit but it was all lies. He drank a whole pack of beers on Christmas day and was blind drunk. I feel so alone – it’s like I don’t exist to him any more.’

To meet the expected need for support, Childline will continue to operate 24/7 through the Christmas period, with full-time staff and volunteers based in 12 sites around the UK including Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool and London.

The service offers one-to-one counselling online. Children and young people can also speak to Childline counsellors by email through a secure ‘locker’, or calling 0800 1111.

Shaun Friel, Director of Childline, says: ‘As always Childline will be here to help the thousands of children and young people across the UK who we expect to contact us by phone and online over the festive period. Some concerns will be what we deal with throughout the year, while others are likely to be more specific to Christmas, such as adults drinking too much, family friction and financial pressures.

‘Whatever the issue or concern is, we are reminding all children and young people that our trained counsellors will be here to listen and support them on every day of the 12 days of Christmas and onwards into 2025.’

To support this work, make a donation to Childline.

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