Young people in Dumbarton and the Vale are being urged to speak out if they are stressed about their exams.

The advice has come from Childline who said it is vital that family, friends and teachers are there to support children and teenagers during this stressful time.

New figures from the NSPCC, released as children are due to sit their exams, show that Childline delivered 2,795 counselling sessions in the UK on exam stress in 2018/19 – with around a third taking place in April and May.

Of these, Childline’s Glasgow and Aberdeen Childline bases conducted over 500 counselling sessions with children from across the UK on exam stress.

Young people who were stressed about their exams told Childline they were worried about disappointing their parents; trying their best and still failing; having excessive workloads and feeling unmotivated to revise.

Some told Childline counsellors the prospect of taking exams was having an adverse effect on their mental health, with some coping by self-harming and others saying they were feeling suicidal.

The most common ages for exam stress counselling were with 15 and 16-year-olds.

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Childline is urging all young people to speak out if they are stressed about their exams, especially boys as figures reveal they are five times less likely than girls to talk to counsellors about the pressure they are under.

Anna Williamson, Childline counsellor and writer of teen book, How Not to Lose It, said: “It is vital that family, friends and teachers are there to support children and teenagers during this stressful time.

“My advice to parents would be to never say ‘it wasn’t like this in my day’- children won’t care and it isn’t about you.

“Also never compare siblings. What you can do is ask if they need anything, say you are proud of them and offer an end-of-exams celebration to help them visualise it being over.”

Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC helpline seven days a week on 0808 800 5000, or email help@nspcc.org.uk.

Children can call Childline on 0800 11 11 or head to childline.org.uk any time of the day or night if they feel they need help or advice.

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