CHILDLINE: Christmas can be a lonely and frightening time for many children and young people

A scene from Childline's Christmas television advert, which has been based on real calls to the service's counsellors.

But for thousands of children and young people, Christmas can be an incredibly lonely and frightening time.

More than half a million children experience abuse and neglect each year, and in 2022-23 our Childline service delivered more than 14,000 counselling sessions to young people on those topics – an average of 38 per day.

In more than 4,000 of those sessions, our counsellors were the first people these children had disclosed their abuse to, which shows the vital need for the Childline service to be available around the clock, even over the Christmas period.

During the 12-day Christmas period between December 24, 2022, and January 4, 2023, counsellors delivered 400 counselling sessions on abuse and neglect, and December last year was the second highest month in the year for children reaching out for support on emotional abuse.

For those children and young people for whom Christmas means abuse, Childline is a lifeline.

Over the coming weeks, you may see our new TV advert which is based on real calls to the service and highlights that on average a child will call Childline every 45 seconds.

Christmas should be a time of happiness and fun for all children, but we know that sadly this is not the case and that for many, it is a time full of fear, isolation and increased risks.

For lots of children, Childline is the only place they can turn to for help when they are trapped behind closed doors feeling scared and alone.

Our service is available to children 24 hours a day, every day - even on Christmas Day. And when a child needs help, Childline is a lifeline.

Whether you want to take part in the Walk For Children on December 22 or buy festive gifts from the NSPCC shop, every pound will help us be there to listen and support young people across the country.

A donation of just £4 could help a Childline counsellor answer a call this Christmas, and there are lots of ways you can support the service – you can find out more at the NSPCC website.