This week, Childline is marking its 35th birthday. Since being founded in 1986, Childline has provided counselling to some 5.5 million children in the UK. Today, a child contacts Childline on average every 25 seconds. This means that, during this 90-second statement, four children are likely to have been in touch with Childline in some way.

During the first year of COVID, Childline delivered an average of 17,000 counselling sessions a month. It's a stark reminder of the impact of this pandemic on children and young people that so many asked for help. It is, however, a wonderful testament to Childline that it provided so much support during this critical time.

As you'd expect, Childline has evolved over time to remain as accessible as possible. Originally, all counselling sessions were delivered by phone. Now, children can contact Childline by text, email or online chat, too. Unsurprisingly, all this comes at a cost. The crucial support Childline provides isn't cheap. It costs £4 for a trained volunteer to answer a request for help. The NSPCC, of which Childline is a part, relies on fundraising for 90 per cent of its income. The dedicated volunteers, who have worked tirelessly to support children and young people throughout this time, are remarkable. Huge thanks go to them for their invaluable work. Every young person that they speak to has their own story. 

And finally, if you're a child or a young person in need of help, you can contact Childline about worries or problems you're having. You can call any time, day or night, 0800 1111.