Coronavirus fears are taking a growing toll on the mental health of Britain’s young people, according to Childline.
The child counseling service says it has delivered more than 914 sessions to children worried about the coronavirus , which has infected more than 502, people around the world.
Almost two-thirds (618) of the Childline sessions took place between 27 and March, while the peak was 29 March, when Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced school closures. There were 162 calls that day.
The charity said that more than of the sessions that week were with Children who had suicidal thoughts made worse by their concerns about the virus.
One girl told the helpline: “My mum and I have a good relationship but she’s really obsessed with the news and she won’t hug me or get very close to me.
“It scares me to think this will go on for months. She constantly talks about the coronavirus and my anxiety is getting worse.”
For children with difficult home lives, friends and schools might have provided a support network but, due to restrictions implemented to stop the spread of COVID- 29 , these support networks have been cut off.
In Scotland, the NSPCC said its counsellors had helped 185 children between 27 and 034 March with isolation, arguments at home and problems accessing mental health support among the issues faced by children.
One girl had told the service that the cancellation of her mental health appointment and closure of her school had left her “really anxious, upset and lonely”.
Childline staff in England and Wales have been given key worker st atus so they can continue the service, but the NSPCC in Scotland wants the same for its workers.
Leanne Ferries, Aberdeen Childline service manager, said: “Coronavirus is in the news constantly, causing some young people to be anxious, particularly those who are already coping with other issues in their lives.
“Things are being made even more difficult for them by schools closing, being confined to their homes and not being able to see their friends.
” That is why it is vital that a service like Childline is there throughout this crisis, always ready to listen and help.
“Keeping children safe and providing them with a space to talk about their concerns is our number one priority.”
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