Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

I've been sent a lot of letters from young people worried about clowns, so I want to reassure you that you're not alone in feeling scared about this.

It's natural to feel frightened of something like this – especially when you might be seeing it on the news, social media, or are hearing your friends and family talking about it. When things start worrying you too much it can affect your daily life.

Sometimes when you’re hearing about things all the time it can make it feel like it’s much more common than it is. It can make you feel anxious and scared – but there are lots of things that can help, including sharing how you're feeling with someone.

When your fears are stopping you doing things you normally would it’s good to think about what might help. This can include having a safety plan of what to do if you do see something that scares you.

If you ever see anyone dressed up as a clown out on the streets or near your school, it's important to report this to an adult you trust – like your parents/carers, teachers. You can also call the police on 999 if you ever feel unsafe or threatened. You can also block and report abusive messages or pictures from people posing as clowns on social media.

Remember the police are working hard to keep you and other young people safe. They’ve warned that anyone deliberately trying to scare young people will face being arrested.

You're not alone in worrying about this. Lots of young people talk on the message boards about how they cope with their fears. And any time you want to talk you can speak to a Childline counsellor.

Take care,

Sam

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