Ask Sam letter

Thanks for your letter - I'm really glad you've contacted me to talk about this. You don't have to go through this alone. It sounds like it's been really stressful for you and your family over the last few years. When a parent loses their job it can be hard for everyone in the family and I can hear how much you're worrying about the bills.

It seems as if knowing about the bills feels too hard to cope with, but the bills are not your responsibility. As the adults, your mum and dad are there to make sure you are okay. It might help to let them know how worried you are about this.  

It's unlikely that anyone will take your parents away and there are many services that could help your parents with their debts. If you wanted to help, you could suggest they contact the Money Advice Service for debt advice or talk to an organisation called Family Lives.

We’re here for you though and we have a page all about money worries that might be useful for you.

You don't sound silly telling me about how this has affected you. If it’s got to the point where you feel you need to harm yourself and don't want to live anymore, then it’s important to talk about those feelings. Sometimes people feel like self-harming when they are finding it difficult to express how they are feeling or they are finding it difficult to cope. You could find out more by reading our information on self-harm and suicidal feelings.

I think it's important for you to find someone you can talk to about all of this so that you get the support you deserve. You might want to think about an adult you trust who you could speak to. If you’d ever like to talk to a ChildLine counsellor about how you’re feeling, there will be someone here to listen – you can ring our free number 0800 1111, have an online 1-2-1 chat or you can send an email. We are here for you.

Take care,

Sam