Shocking number of children contact Childline reporting suicidal thoughts

According to recent figures, over 300 children called Childline last year and admitted to having suicidal thoughts, even going as far as to disclose their plans.

According to ISPCC CEO Grainia Long, the charity has received a number of calls regarding the issue, saying: "While the vast majority of calls are not from children at urgent risk, we are extremely concerned about the level of risk that some children are under, when they call us."

Explaining the charity's reaction to these phonecalls, Grania said: "In those cases, we immediately work with the child to ensure their safety, and as a matter of priority seek to ensure contact with the authorities."

Of the 22,00 children who contacted Childline last year, over a thousand of those wanted to discuss suicide with the person on the other end of the line.

In a worrying revelation, Grainia went on to say: "In some instances, children have gone beyond threatening to take their own lives and have acted on this,"

According to the charity, the online option has gained popularity in recent years, with Grainia saying: "An increasing number of young people are choosing the online option to talk about their mental health."