Self-harm calls to ChildLine show biggest increase
Self-harming has become the fastest rising cause of calls for help to the ChildLine advice line, according to the charity's annual report.
There has been a 68% annual increase in contacts to ChildLine over self-harm, mostly from girls.
It is also affecting younger children, appearing for the first time as a leading concern among 14-year-olds.
Sue Minto, head of ChildLine, said it reflected how teenagers felt unable to escape the pressures in their lives.
Ms Minto said the relentless and pervasive nature of modern technology - with texting, social networking and websites - meant children found it hard to escape pressures such as bullying.
"It's very unforgiving for young people," she said.
Family break-ups
In the course of the year, ChildLine provided more than 16,000 counselling sessions about self-harm.
The callers to the advice line - and youngsters who contacted the website - included those who had self-harmed or were on the verge of doing so and even some who were self-harming as they got in touch with ChildLine.
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... (BBC News - 04 December)