'New service to support young people who feel lonely' - Your Letters: August 7
PICTURE FROM THE ARCHIVE: This wartime photo is captioned ‘VJ Day trip to Dudley Zoo’. Dated, August 29 1945, the photo shows children from Bridgnorth getting ready to leave for a trip to Dudley Zoo as part of VJ Day celebrations.
SUMMER BREAK CAN BE LONELY
The summer holidays and the break from school often conjure up thoughts of fun, freedom, outdoor play and seaside trips with mum and dad. However, for many children living in the Midlands, these weeks away from school can be a lonely and isolating experience.
Last year, from the NSPCC’s Childline service delivered more than 4,500 counselling sessions to children and young people experiencing loneliness. Some young people missed having regular contact with school friends, others struggled with the lack of a day-to-day routine, while some were concerned about moving to a new school or year group in September.
Loneliness can have a profound impact on a child’s happiness and wellbeing, and Childline is available around the clock to help.
The NSPCC has also launched Building Connections – a new service to support young people who feel lonely. Building Connections is a free befriending service for children and young people, aged between 9 to 19, that helps tackle loneliness over 11 text-based sessions with a trained befriender.
By learning how to build rewarding friendships, the service helps children to build up their confidence and social resilience.
