Young children getting help for suicidal thoughts

Children as young as five are receiving help for suicidal thoughts, the founder of a new counselling service has revealed.

Teach Tom, a community initiative in Kilkenny, was established less than two months ago to provide immediate support to individuals and families either affected by or contemplating suicide.

The voluntary group — which works in conjunction with Taxi Watch, a local suicide surveillance system run by cab drivers — said it had been shocked by the number of young children referred to it since the service opened in mid-February.