Press Releases

19 October 2009

One in three UK children describe feeling some emotional distress most of the time, an NSPCC poll* reveals. The finding comes as the charity's helpline ChildLine launches a new online service for vulnerable children.

In the online poll of 11-16 year olds, 32 per cent said they felt sad, depressed, lonely, worried, stressed, scared or angry most of the time.** This increased to almost half of girls aged 14-16 (49%). Only one in five said they mostly felt secure.

Today (19 Oct) the NSPCC launches its new How u feelin? drive to reach out to more children online, as ChildLine goes digital . The www.childline.org.uk. site now offers children an online place to play, explore and talk about their problems. 

Children can use the site to email ChildLine about their worries, chat to a ChildLine counsellor online, and support each other on a message board. They can also explore issues like domestic violence, gangs or bullying.

The site offers children tools to express their feelings through poems, pictures and emoticon-type 'moodies' to keep track of their moods. While there, children can watch videos, make badges or play games.

The How u feelin? poll reveals a sharp rise in stress levels for children in their mid teens. The numbers of children saying they felt stressed most of the time more than doubled between the two age groups from 12 per cent of 11-13 year olds to 27 per cent of 14-16 year olds. In the poll, 54 per cent of children said they felt happy most of the time.

The poll also shows how friends replace parents as children's top source of support as they grow older. While most 11-13 year olds (63%) say they would turn first to a parent for advice or help when in a bad mood, most 14-16 year olds would choose a friend first (52%). More than one in five children (22%) say they find it easier to discuss their true feelings online.

One in eight children (13%) say they would 'turn to no-one' for help and advice when in a bad mood. This rises to one in five 14-16 year old boys (22%).

One child contacted ChildLine to say: "I feel so angry and upset all the time. I feel like I want to die but I'd never kill myself because I'm too scared. I'm seriously considering running away from home but I don't know where I'd go. Wherever I go I seem to be unhappy. I just want it all to stop." 

NSPCC Chief Executive Andrew Flanagan says: "While many children are generally happy, others are deeply troubled and desperate for help. As we know, teenage years can be notoriously stressful for young people and the lucky ones have friends or parents to help them through their problems. But the scale of childhood distress in this poll is revealing.

"Hundreds of thousands of children phone ChildLine every year because they are so distressed and feel they have no one else to turn to. ChildLine provides them with trusted and confidential support and the 0800 1111 telephone lifeline will still be there for them.

"Our new ChildLine online service is there for vulnerable children who would rather talk online than on the phone, giving them even more choice in how they seek help.

"ChildLine is growing - thanks in part to Government funding and also the public giving generously through the NSPCC's Child's Voice Appeal. This support means we can be there for more children, whatever their worry and however they want to contact us."

Ends

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Notes to editor
*The internet poll (self-selecting) of 1200 children aged 11-16 years was carried out by Dubit, the youth research agency on behalf of the NSPCC. There was an equal 50% split between boys and girls. http://www.dubitlimited.com/

** 32 per cent of the children polled said they felt either one or more of the emotions: sad, depressed, lonely, worried, stressed, scared or angry.

The NSPCC's Child's Voice Appeal launched in September 2008 and aims to raise £50m over three years so that the NSPCC's helplines can answer many more cries for help. The appeal has so far raised £18.6million across the UK.
The government has pledged £30m towards the expansion of ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline, but the NSPCC needs the support of the public to raise a further £50m through the Child's Voice Appeal, to make its vision a reality.
Funds raised will mean that across the UK, ChildLine's volunteers can counsel more calls every year and children will be able to choose how they access ChildLine's help - by phone, online and eventually by text. The funds will also enable the NSPCC Helpline grow to counsel more adults a year who have concerns about a child.

Other findings from the poll 
- 33% (900) of children in England describe feelings of mental distress - sad, depressed, lonely, worried, stressed, scared or angry compared to 26% of children in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Over 1 in 4 polled (26%) said 'bored' best describes how they feel most of the time.
- 67% of those surveyed are either in a bad mood 'some of the time', 'often' or 'always', 16% are always or often in a bad mood.
- Thinking about spending time alone is most likely to put children in a bad mood (36%) followed by spending time at school (35%).
- Girls were more likely to turn to a friend than boys (69% vs 55%)
- Boys were more likely to turn to a teacher (19%) rising to 26% for boys aged 11-13.
- Those who are often or always in a bad mood are significantly more likely to turn to a teacher (5%). This group also shows an increased likelihood to first turn to a social worker, neighbour or telephone line.
- 34% said they shared their problems online through instant messaging and 25% shared their problems on social networking sites. 26% said they didn't think they would ever share their problems online.