Childline celebrates 30 years of helping young people

Childine is celebrating 30 years of helping children and young people in Wales and the UK.

The free counselling service was launched in 1986 by TV presenter Esther Rantzen, with 50,000 children jamming the phone lines on the first night.

In 2006, Childline joined forces with children's charity the NSPCC to support more young people in the UK.

Today, a child contacts Childline every 25 seconds for advice on issues including physical and sexual abuse, bullying, pregnancy, anxiety and depression.

The organisation has helped more than four million children so far and says children's needs are changing as technology develops.

• In 2009, Childline launched its website, offering online help and support to children for the first time.

• In 2014-15, the Childline website was visited more than three million times.

• Today, two-thirds of young people go online to seek counselling, using Childline's email or online chat service rather than picking up the phone.

Eighteen-year-old Naomi Lea, from Denbigh, is studying psychology at Cardiff University.

Four years ago, she contacted Childline using their online chat facility after struggling with anxiety, panic attacks and self-harm.

For more information, or to find out how to volunteer, visit the Childline website.