CHILDLINE: An average eight children a day contacting the service about emotional abuse

Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that involves the continual emotional mistreatment of a child.

Our Childline counsellors are here for children and young people when they feel they have nowhere else to turn.

Over the last year (April 2023 – March 2024), our volunteers delivered 2,879 counselling sessions to children across the UK experiencing emotional abuse. That’s an average of eight children a day contacting the service about emotional abuse, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year.

Emotional abuse is any type of abuse that involves the continual emotional mistreatment of a child, such as deliberately trying to scare, humiliate, isolate or ignore them.

The children and young people contacting Childline reported being shouted at or verbally abused, being criticised, humiliated and called names. They also said they were being isolated, ignored, prevented from having friends and were blamed for things they did not do.

Emotional abuse can sometimes be difficult to spot and the signs can also be different for children at different ages.

Also, as children grow up, their emotions change which can make spotting the signs of emotional abuse even harder.

Often, children who are experiencing emotional abuse might lack confidence or self-assurance. They may struggle to control their emotions, have difficulty making or maintaining relationships or might act in a way that is inappropriate for their age.

We are here to support children who are experiencing any kind of abuse, but everyone can play a role in helping children.

On Friday, June 7, the NSPCC is holding its flagship Childhood Day celebrations here in the North East and across the UK.

Childhood Day encourages people to take part in fun games or sponsored events to raise funds and support NSPCC services like Childline. You can take part by walking, running, wheeling or bouncing a Childhood Day Mile, alone, with friends and family or with your schoolmates, with every pound raised helping to support the NSPCC.

Our fundraising teams across the region are also holding collections in the lead up to the big day, and they need volunteers to make these a success.

You can find out more about all the ways to take part in Childhood Day and support the NSPCC and Childline through the NSPCC website.