The ISPCC has highlighted that support is available to children, young people, parents and carers as a new report shows that Ireland has one of the highest rates in Europe for depression in young people aged 15 – 24.
The report, published by Eurofound, the EU agency for the improvement of living and working conditions, includes data for 2014 which shows that Ireland had the highest rate in Europe of young people aged 15 – 24 with chronic depression, with 12 per cent of that cohort experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms. In line with figures across the EU, such symptoms were found to be almost twice as likely to be experienced by young females as young males.
The ISPCC provides Childline, Ireland’s 24-hour active listening service for children and young people. The service is free to contact, confidential and non-judgmental. Children and young people can contact Childline, at any time, to chat about any issue which may be on their mind. Childline listens, supports and empowers.
Children and young people up to the age of 18 in Ireland can contact Childline anytime by calling 1800 66 66 66 or chatting online at Childline.ie.
Support and information content in relation to a wide variety of topics including mental wellbeing, relationships, online safety and more is also available to children and young people at Childline.ie.
Support and information content for parents and carers, meanwhile, is available online on the ISPCC’s Parent Hub at ISPCC.ie/parent-hub-articles.
The ISPCC also provides a range of therapeutic services on a one-to-one and group basis around the country with a focus on building resilience.
In addition, the ISPCC continues to work to influence positive policy change for children and young people in Ireland with the mission of making child protection everyone’s priority. It is important that timely and appropriate interventions are available to all children and young people in Ireland when they seek support, regardless of where in the country they live.
Strategies and recommendations such as those made by the Taskforce on Youth Mental Health must be implemented fully in order to ensure an appropriate response to children and young people in need of support.
