As the infection of the new coronavirus continues to spread, many consultations are being received at the window that accepts consultations from children.

The number of serious content is increasing, and experts point out that "it is necessary to support children's signs without missing them."

From February to October, more than 1000 consultations regarding the new Corona were received at "Childline," which accepts consultations from children nationwide by phone or chat.



In terms of content,


▽ "mood falls," such as those complained of anxiety was the highest at 65%,


then,


▽ those 12% on the "home" such as damage relationships and abuse of a parent to a work-at-home,


▽ 12% of the respondents said that they could not keep up with studying at school and that they were related to school.



In addition, the number of serious consultations, such as consultations that make children feel that they want to die, is increasing.



Dr. Shun Okada of the National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, who is familiar with children's psychology, said, "The consultations we have received from children are just the tip of the iceberg. Children have suffered more or less psychological damage in Corona. It is necessary to not overlook the signs of anxiety that children give and to support them at school, in the community, and at home. "



The "Childline" is open daily from 4 pm to 9 pm and has the following phone numbers:


0120-99-7777

The number of consultations with free schools has increased rapidly

Free school is one of the recipients of children who are worried or complain of anxiety as the infection of the new coronavirus spreads.



At the free school in Chiba City, the number of consultations complaining of physical problems such as "I don't want to go to school" has increased rapidly from June, when the school was closed all the time, to nearly double the number of times when it is the most in the usual year, and children and their protection are still being protected every day. There are a lot of consultations from people.



Currently, 17 students from the 2nd grade to the 3rd grade of junior high school are attending, but 12 are new children who have started attending in the last six months.



At this free school, former teacher staff are teaching study and children are considered to have attended classes at the school they attend.



Currently, the capacity is full and some children are waiting for a vacancy.



According to this free school, the reason for not attending school was that there were many "bullying" and "trouble with friends" so far, but after the simultaneous closure of the new Corona, "somehow I could not attend. The reason is not clear in many cases.



Keiko Sugimoto, a non-profit organization that runs a free school, said, "I think it was difficult to return to the pace of life due to major changes while children were not prepared for their hearts, such as the simultaneous closure of schools and the reopening of schools due to the influence of the new corona. Some children have serious worries, such as losing hope of living, but there are also cases where adults are overwhelmed by the life of the corona and are unaware of it. "

To a junior high school free school that can no longer be attended

A girl student in the third grade of junior high school who lives in Chiba prefecture has been unable to attend school since July and is currently attending free school.



Even before that, the girls had a feeling that they were not good at school because the way they proceeded with the lessons did not match their own pace, but until now they had never taken a break and participated in club activities.



However, after the school was closed all at once, I couldn't attend the school from July when I returned to school as usual, and I started to take a day off.



Regarding the reason, the girl student said, "Until then, I was going through with momentum and managed to come at the last minute, but I think that momentum stopped due to the closure of school."



On the other hand, there is a desire to study, "I can study at my own pace at free school, and I feel very comfortable. Now I am trying hard to study for entrance exams, and when I enter high school, I continue club activities and it is fun to talk. I want to meet friends who I think I can think of. "



The girl's mother said, "I didn't want to go to school because I was blocked at home and couldn't get anything. I can't think of a big event that caused me to go to school, but I was tense because of the long vacation. The thread of tension that I was having may have broken. "