Mental health is a major concern

Kids Helpline’s annual report into the issues affecting young Australians, released today, reveals mental health is the number one concern amongst children and young people.

HELP. COUNSELLING. SUPPORT.

The Kids Helpline (KHL) Insights 2014 - Insights into Australian Young People, is based on over 800,000 direct contacts and self-directed help seeking website enquiries mostly from young people aged between 5 and 25 years last year.

The top five issues amongst children and young people were:

1. Mental health concerns
2. Family relationships
3. Emotional wellbeing
4. Suicide-related concerns
5. Dating and partner relationships

  National Children’s Commissioner Megan Mitchell said the report was essential in understanding the support required for the needs of Australian children and youth in distress.

Being genuinely heard is fundamentally empowering and safeguarding for children. This original data was critical to my examination of self-harm and suicide among children and young people, and highlighted the invaluable support Kids Helpline provides in this space. Megan Mitchell.

It is also imperative to understand that kids are not just small adults, the factors that contribute to the incidence of mental health, suicide and self-harm amongst the youth population and the impacts of these issues can be significantly different to that of adults.

If kids want to talk to someone, they can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week or use email or web counselling services. No issue is too big or small.

Let us know your thoughts about issues facing children and young people. Please comment below.

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