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| More children talking to ChildLine about suicide | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The counselling service ChildLine had more than 34,000 consultations with children who talked about killing themselves in 2013/14, it has revealed. | The counselling service ChildLine had more than 34,000 consultations with children who talked about killing themselves in 2013/14, it has revealed. |
| The number of such consultations has increased by 116% since 2010/2011. | The number of such consultations has increased by 116% since 2010/2011. |
| The NSPCC - which runs ChildLine - said that most of the children were aged between 12 and 15. | The NSPCC - which runs ChildLine - said that most of the children were aged between 12 and 15. |
| Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that suicide rates for 15 to 19-year-olds remained broadly consistent between 2000-2012. | Statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that suicide rates for 15 to 19-year-olds remained broadly consistent between 2000-2012. |
| ONS figures show that 125 young people within that age range killed themselves in 2012. | |
| 'Alone and isolated' | 'Alone and isolated' |
| The figures come from a new report entitled On the Edge - ChildLine spotlight: Suicide. | |
| The report also states that the highest number of consultations on suicide - either conducted on the telephone or online - were on Sundays and Mondays. | The report also states that the highest number of consultations on suicide - either conducted on the telephone or online - were on Sundays and Mondays. |
| ChildLine said it received calls from young people for various reasons but suicide was the only topic in which it had seen a significant rise in the number of people coming forward. | ChildLine said it received calls from young people for various reasons but suicide was the only topic in which it had seen a significant rise in the number of people coming forward. |
| A 17-year-old girl who did not want to be named told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she had attempted to kill herself after being bullied at school. | A 17-year-old girl who did not want to be named told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she had attempted to kill herself after being bullied at school. |
| "I felt alone and isolated - I wasn't happy because the bullying followed me everywhere and I didn't really have an escape," she said. | "I felt alone and isolated - I wasn't happy because the bullying followed me everywhere and I didn't really have an escape," she said. |
| "I thought 'What's the point in being alive if nobody likes me'. I thought 'Why am I still here - we're all going to die anyway so does it really matter if I go now'." | |
| She is now getting help from counsellors. | She is now getting help from counsellors. |
| Attempted suicide | Attempted suicide |
| From April 2013 to April 2014, ChildLine held 34,517 counselling sessions with children who talked about suicide. | From April 2013 to April 2014, ChildLine held 34,517 counselling sessions with children who talked about suicide. |
| Six thousand of these children had told a counsellor they had previously attempted suicide. | Six thousand of these children had told a counsellor they had previously attempted suicide. |
| ChildLine said six in every 10 counselling sessions for suicide involved 12 to 15-year-olds. | |
| This year, more 15-year-olds were counselled than any other age group. Previously, the most prominent age was 17-year-olds. | This year, more 15-year-olds were counselled than any other age group. Previously, the most prominent age was 17-year-olds. |
| There has also been an increase in counselling sessions for children aged 11 or younger - although they account for just 2% of all sessions. | There has also been an increase in counselling sessions for children aged 11 or younger - although they account for just 2% of all sessions. |
| One in three young people counselled about suicide also mentioned self-harm in 2013/14, an increase of 29% compared with 2012/2013. | One in three young people counselled about suicide also mentioned self-harm in 2013/14, an increase of 29% compared with 2012/2013. |
| ChildLine said it was not clear why there was an increase in sessions, but it said the problem may be in part down to bullying on social media. | ChildLine said it was not clear why there was an increase in sessions, but it said the problem may be in part down to bullying on social media. |
| Esther Rantzen, journalist and founder of ChildLine, said: "We must learn from what they are telling us, and persuade them not to feel fearful or ashamed to tell others of their feelings. | Esther Rantzen, journalist and founder of ChildLine, said: "We must learn from what they are telling us, and persuade them not to feel fearful or ashamed to tell others of their feelings. |
| "The first step is to make sure that young people have sufficient support around them. And so our report offers a wealth of guidance to parents, carers and professionals on where to seek help and how to open up these critical conversations with young people." | "The first step is to make sure that young people have sufficient support around them. And so our report offers a wealth of guidance to parents, carers and professionals on where to seek help and how to open up these critical conversations with young people." |