ChildLine figures reveal increase in Welsh schoolchildren worrying about exam stress

New figures from ChildLine reveal a rise in the number of schoolchildren in Wales worried about exam stress.

Volunteers at ChildLine’s two Welsh bases, in Cardiff and Prestatyn, dealt with almost 450 calls relating to exam stress in the last year alone.

Credit: PA

The NSPCC-run helpline delivered over three thousand counselling sessions relating to exam stress last year, a nine per cent annual increase.

Almost a quarter of these sessions were undertaken in May, and another quarter in August when many teenagers await GCSE and A-Level results.

This increase was matched by a 72% rise in visits to ChildLine's exam stress webpage in 2015/16.

Parental disappointment and fear of failure are two of the many reasons that children who contact ChildLine cited as causing their stress.

The helpline reports that exam stress impacts on young people's ability to sleep and can trigger anxiety attacks, depression and eating disorders.

The helpline has today launched the following video, featuring advice and tips for children and young people with upcoming exams.

Video Credit: ChildLine

ChildLine has also released advice for parents and carers on how to support young people through the exam period.

  • Don’t place unnecessary pressure on your children to gain certain grades. They may feel they have failed if they don’t achieve what they thought was expected of them.

  • Encourage children to take regular breaks, eat snacks and exercise.

  • Help them revise by leaving them the space and time to do so.

  • Be relaxed about chores or untidiness and understand they might be moody. Allow your children to revise at nights if that’s what works best for them however do make sure that they get enough sleep to keep their energy levels up in the day.

  • Be supportive and help alleviate their worries by talking to them.