Thousands of kids feel lonely with 'no friends or absent parents'

Thousands of children and young people turned to Childline to seek help for feelings of loneliness between 2023 and 2024.

The NSPCC service delivered almost 5,000 counselling sessions related to the concern, both online and over the phone from one of their 13 bases around the country, including Aberdeen and Glasgow in Scotland.

Children and young people cited feeling lonely in the last year due to moving house or school and having to make new friends, their parents working long hours, being bullied by peers, and seeing their friends having fun on social media and feeling as though they are missing out.

One 11-year-old girl from Scotland said to Childline: “I feel so lonely at school, I only really have one friend. What’s harder though is I feel I can’t talk about how much it upsets me.

“My parents seem annoyed or judgemental when I try to talk about my feelings. Speaking to Childline feels like a weight has been lifted.”

The charity revealed the figures to remind children and young people that they are not alone this January and that the helpline is open 24/7.

Adeniyi Alade, Childline service head, based in Aberdeen, said: “The dark and cold winter months can be a difficult time for many of us when feelings of loneliness and isolation can become more intense.

“Sadly, a high number of children and young people contact Childline because they feel lonely and isolated. We know this can have a serious impact on their mental wellbeing, often leaving young people feeling depressed and helpless.

“Children don’t have to face these emotions alone. Childline is here for every young person, no matter what their situation. Whether they’re missing a member of their family, struggling with friendships and bullying, or finding it difficult to talk with those around them, our counsellors are ready to listen.

“We’d encourage young people to get support as early as possible because that can help prevent the situation from getting worse.”

Tips for adults to help children and young people who may be experiencing loneliness include:

Communicate openly: Encourage children to talk about their feelings and listen without judgement.
Discover what’s causing the problem: Gently explore why they might be feeling this way and validate their emotions.
Encourage socialising: Help children find opportunities to connect with peers through hobbies, clubs, or activities.
Help them build their confidence: Celebrate their strengths and achievements and remind them of the positive relationships in their lives.
Build a supportive environment: Loneliness isn’t something that can be resolved with one conversation. It is important to create an environment of openness where a child can talk to you about their feelings and any struggles they may be facing.

To support young people who may be dealing with loneliness, the NSPCC also offers an online text befriending service called Building Connections.

This service, available to anyone up to the age of 19, matches young people with a trained befriender for 11 weeks who will help them to build their confidence and better manage their loneliness.

To refer a child to the Building Connections service visit: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/services/building-connections?modularPage=make-a-referral

Childline is available for young people via the phone on 0800 1111 and online through the 121 chat on the Childline website.