Source: BBC News >> Read full article and comment

The number of UK children calling the national helpline Childline because they feel lonely has risen sharply.

From April 2008 to March 2009, 5,525 children called the helpline due to loneliness, sadness or isolation, compared to 1,853 five years earlier.

A further 4,399 children were counselled about loneliness as an additional problem, bringing the total to 9,924 – 6% of calls to the helpline.

Counsellors say changes within families and society could be behind the rise.

Analysis of calls by the NSPCC, which merged with Childline in 2006, found family relationship problems, school problems and bullying were the most common issues that came up alongside issues of loneliness.

The report said many of the children counselled in relation to loneliness lacked a network of social relationships or group of friends.

“This indicates that it may be the inability of children to relate to people around them that is the problem, rather than the absence of people,” it said.

The analysis found one in six loneliness calls were from a child aged 11 or younger.

And girls were more likely to call with issues of loneliness – 6,835 girls and 3,089 boys were counselled.

The report said while loneliness can be part of growing up, it could affect some children in a “debilitating and devastating” way… Continue reading