Newly released data from Statistics Estonia shows that the number of children in need — those whose safety, development, or well-being is at risk — is growing.

In 2020, a total of 3,052 children required support; by 2024, that number had risen to 3,903. This is a rise of nearly 28 percent.

Ketlin Lepik, senior specialist in the child protection support unit at the Social Insurance Board, explained that the rise is partly due to increased awareness of the need to recognize when children require help. More cases are being reported than before.

According to Lepik, the growing number of children in need is also influenced by a rise in mental health issues among children and young people. Children are experiencing depression, anxiety, and difficulties with concentration.

"Over the years, the share of youth struggling with suicidal thoughts has increased," Lepik noted.

Mental health problems, she explained, are often linked to financial hardship in the family, tense family relationships, and inadequate parenting skills. These factors can undermine a child's sense of security.

Teenagers increasingly in need of support

The sharpest rise in the number of children needing help has occurred among those aged 15–17. Over five years, the number in this age group has increased by 50 percent, reaching 510 children in 2024.

A new study confirms this trend, Lepik said. "A recent child mental health study shows that depression, anxiety, self-harm, and eating disorders are significantly more common among 15–17-year-olds than in younger children."

The risk of experimenting with alcohol, tobacco, or drugs also rises during adolescence. If a child has previously shown behavioral issues or comes from a difficult home environment, these problems may deepen as they grow older.

"Young people between the ages of 15 and 17 become more independent and begin testing boundaries, which can lead to difficulties both at school and in family relationships," the specialist explained.

Social media and cyberbullying compounded the problems.

There has also been a noticeable increase among the 7–10 age group, where the number of children in need rose by 191 over four years.

Boys are more likely to need help. In 2024, there were 2,142 boys in need, making up 55 percent of all cases. "Because boys tend to be more prone to risk-taking by nature, their share of reported cases may be higher compared with girls," Lepik explained.

Support systems are overloaded

The rise in mental health problems and youth-related issues has significantly increased the workload for support systems. For example, school psychologists and child protection workers are already operating under heavy workloads.

"In many regions, there are long waitlists for mental health services because the number of children in need has grown and problems are being brought to specialists' attention earlier than before," Lepik said.

Currently, support systems cannot fully meet the rising demand. There is a growing need for additional funding, more support specialists, and preventive efforts.

The highest number of children in need is in Harju County (1,522), including 1,058 in Tallinn. Tartu County is second with 582 children in need. In smaller counties such as Hiiu and Jõgeva, the number of children in need is below 150. In Harju County, the largest group in need is aged 11–14 (425 children); in Tartu, the same age group includes 147 children.

Society expected to identify children in need

At the beginning of the year, the Child Protection Act was amended to increase the responsibility of certain professionals, such as teachers, coaches, extracurricular activity leaders, and police officers, to notice and report when a child may need help.

Although the duty to report applies to anyone who works with children, Section 27 of the Child Protection Act gives specialists better tools for recognizing a child's distress.

A child is considered in need if their safety, development, or well-being is at risk, due to, for example, parental difficulties, abuse, behavioral problems, or special needs. In such cases, the local government initiates case proceedings and offers either one-time intervention or long-term support.

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