Helplines Insight Briefing: young people’s experiences of suicidal thoughts and feelings
NSPCC Learning has published a Helplines Insight Briefing using insights from 18,981 Childline counselling sessions in 2024/25 on young people’s experiences of suicidal thoughts and feelings. In 80% of these, young people were seeking support outside a crisis.
This briefing shares young people’s varied experiences of suicidal thoughts and feelings, including:
- how young people spoke about and described their suicidal thoughts and feelings
- help seeking for suicidal thoughts and feelings
- unhelpful responses from others after seeking support
- young people’s use of coping mechanisms and techniques.
It also share elements of how Childline supports children and young people who talk about suicidal thoughts and feelings. Professionals can use these insights to prepare for their own opportunities to respond to and support young people with this issue.
