Parents and teachers urged to support young people who received disappointing results
An anti-suicide charity is urging people to be sensitive when dealing with young people in the run-up to A-level and GCSE result announcements.
Papyrus also called for parents and teachers to support young people who received disappointing results, which could trigger depression or suicidal thoughts.
Papyrus chair Anne Parry said: "In our culture of exam pressure, where academic achievement is often seen as the only route to success, for some young people it can all become too much, culminating in distress at varying levels and, for a small minority, in suicidal behaviour.
"Disappointing things can and do happen to all of us during our lives and results are rarely a disaster; there are always alternatives.
"Lots of young people go on to make a success of their lives despite failing to achieve academic qualifications. Many successful people have failed exams; some of them become high-profile successful entrepreneurs."
Papyrus said its helpline had received double the number of calls from students worried about exam results and related topics in June, July and August this year than in the same three months in 2009.
Repeated issues included the lack of university places, student finance and fewer student jobs.
The charity said schools should have support networks and counsellors in place to help students during results day, even though the young people had technically left compulsory education.
Ms Parry said: "Young people know when they have failed, when they have not achieved the results they hoped for. They don't need others to compound their feelings.
"As well as delivering 'bad news' sympathetically, parents and teachers need to be extra sensitive to deal with disappointment."
Distressed students can call Papyrus' anonymous helpline HopeLineUK, which is staffed by trained advisors, on 0800 068 41 41.
Papyrus is committed to suicide prevention and focuses mainly on the emotional well-being of children, teenagers and young adults. For more information visit www.papyrus-uk.org.
By Natalie Bowen, Community Newswire
