Fear Of Terrorism Is Fuelling More Calls To Childline

On the anniversary of the Paris attacks, the NSPCC has revealed that its Childline service is helping a growing number of children who are deeply troubled by the ongoing threat of terrorism. The NSPCC said today that Childline provided 660 counselling sessions about terrorism between November 2015, the month of the Paris attacks, and November 2016. The charity explained that it began collecting data about terrorism-related counselling sessions for the first time "after the Paris attacks last year prompted a surge in contacts." One in five young people who have received counselling sessions about terrorism from Childline were aged 11 or younger. In a release on its website, the charity suggested that social media and the news can intensify fear of terrorism among young people, and pointed that that adults are often unsure how to broach such a complex and upsetting topic with children. The NSPCC's chief executive Peter Wanless said: “Sadly we now live in a world where the months are punctuated by these inhumane attacks, so it is vital that we do not brush young peoples’ fears aside. Instead we must listen to their worries and reassure them that there are people doing everything they can to keep us all safe." "Childline is always hear to listen to a child, and our helpline can offer adults advice on how to comfort and talk to children about difficult topics," he added. The NSPCC offers tips for talking about terrorism to children on its website. Children and young people concerned about terrorist attacks can ring Childline on 0800 1111.