NSPCC Reports Increase in Youth Seeking Support for Identity Issues in the UK

Thousands of children and youths in the UK sought support for their identity issues, with over 60% of these cases involving individuals who identify as trans or non-binary, according to the NSPCC.

During Pride Month, the NSPCC released this data, highlighting their commitment to offering non-judgmental, impartial assistance to all young people. The primary issues discussed included coming out, questioning sexuality or gender identity, gender dysphoria, bullying based on gender or sexuality, and facing discrimination or prejudice.

Additionally, young people discussed experiencing or witnessing homophobia and transphobia, both online and offline, and raised concerns about long waiting lists for services like gender identity clinics.

NSPCC participated in Pride events nationwide, supported by Lidl GB. Recently, NSPCC Cymru attended Cowbridge Pride with H from Steps leading the celebrations. The organisation also runs the Talk Relationships service to help secondary school teachers address topics related to healthy relationships and inclusivity.

Childline urged adults to be understanding and respectful towards young people exploring their sexuality or gender identity. Besides face-to-face support, Childline offers online resources for children and parents. One 15-year-old shared the difficulty of coming out to parents who might not be accepting.

Over the past year, Childline provided more than 330 counselling sessions related to gender- or sexuality-based bullying. Childline director Shaun Friel emphasized the importance of having a supportive space like Childline for young people to express their concerns freely.

Lidl GB’s sponsorship for the second consecutive year includes funding the NSPCC’s Pride event participation and merchandise. The partnership has raised over £9 million, focusing recently on youth mental health support through Childline.