A children’s welfare charity has said the number of children and young people needing counselling about mental health has increased since lockdown started.
Childline has said it has conducted almost 400 counselling sessions since the North of ireland went into lockdown in March over COVID-19.
That’s a 25 per cent % increase compared to this time last year, the charity said.
The NSPCC-run service says it’s getting concerned that children are going to be the hidden victims of the Coronavirus crisis.
Georgina McGlinchey, who is head of NSPCC NI in Foyle, told BBC Radio Foyle “low mood and unhappiness” were key factors in people contacting them.
Children had to stay at home for months without seeing their friends, school pals and family members because of efforts to prevent the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
Schools were shut at the end of March here and not due to open again until the end of August.
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