In 2025, the Child Support Institute in Portugal recorded nearly 3,500 requests for assistance from children and young people, primarily due to psychological distress, loneliness, suicidal ideation, academic pressure, career anxiety, and bullying. Anabela Reis, from the institute, noted that many adolescents aged 14 to 18 reach out via phone or WhatsApp to avoid the embarrassment of speaking to their parents. There is a concerning rise in self-harming behaviours among children as young as 12 and 13. In response to recent weather events, such as Storm Kristin, the institute has launched a new online crisis psychological support service for the central region of Portugal.