4,000 children battle loneliness

Out of these, 554 received the support at the Childline base in Birmingham, with children as young as six seeking help for a problem more commonly associated with the older generation.

Nationally, the NSPCC-service delivered 4,063 counselling sessions on the issue – the equivalent to 11 a day.

Childline counsellors say they are consistently hearing from children and teenagers who feel like they are invisible, misunderstood and that those closest to them are struggling to understand their feelings.

Other factors include the growth of social media, leading some users to make unrealistic comparisons about their lives, and feeling ugly and unpopular.

Children are also struggling to fit into new surroundings after moving house or school, and feeling isolated after relationship breakdowns and the death of friends or family members

As a result of their low mood, young people are spending a lot of time in their bedrooms or online, aggravating their loneliness.

In the worst cases some had become so desperate they self-harmed to cope with their negative feelings, or even contemplated ending their own life.

Young people also told counsellors they didn’t want to talk to their parents about their issues as they were worried what they would think of them.

In addition, the NSPCC found 73 per cent of counselling sessions about loneliness were with girls, making them five times more likely to contact Childline for help about the issue than boys.

One 15-year-old girl who contacted Childline said: "I’ve thought about ending my life because I think it’s pointless me being here. I don’t feel like anyone cares about me and I’m lonely all the time.

"I’ve tried to talk to people about how stressed and anxious I feel, but they’re not bothered. It’s like I’m worthless. Whenever I compare myself to other people, it makes me realise how pathetic I am. I wish I was different.”

A dedicated webpage has been created on the Childline website to support young people experiencing isolation and loneliness.

The NSPCC has also published advice for parents and carers who struggle to get their children to open up to them.

This includes starting a conversation when no-one will interrupt, perhaps during a bike ride or car journey, and also to try not to overreact when your child tells you something alarming, as it may stop them from confiding in you again

The charity advises that if your child isn’t ready to talk straight away, to try again in a few days time, and also stresses the importance of listening.

Kieran Lyons, a Childine supervisor in Birmingham, said: “There is no single reason why so many young people are suffering from loneliness, and as result there is no simple fix to the problem.

"The world is becoming an increasingly complex place to grow up with children and teenagers facing daily pressures to achieve what society defines as a successful life – grades, relationships, physical appearance."

Dame Esther Rantzen, founder and president of Childline, said: “I think we in the adult world are addicted to being busy, and that our children and young people are suffering as a result.

She added: “I worry, too, that the kitchen table has become obsolete, families are too busy to eat together, to talk about their days together, and share their worries. So Childline has become the place young people choose to confide in. They tell us that we make them they feel valued, so they have the confidence to talk about their feelings of loneliness.”

If your concerned a child is suffering from loneliness, try and talk to them, and listen, but if they don’t feel comfortable talking to you they can contact Childline for free, confidential support and advice, 24 hours a day on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk