Children's helpline receives 1,250 calls a day

ALMOST half a million calls were received last year by Childline, the national helpline for children.

Latest figures compiled by the Irish Society for the Protection of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) show that an alarming 1,250 calls per day are made to Childline.

Of 53,632 answered calls "involving a full two-way interaction", 4,279 concerned sexual issues and 1,968 were related to pregnancy among young girls.

Childline answered 31,324 more calls in 2002 than it did in 2001 and the number of calls involving a full two-way interaction rose by 20,331 (60%).

This increased take-up of the service was a result of a new approach to manning lines and the commitment of 13 staff and 130 volunteers in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway.

Call analysis by the ISPCC showed "a worrying trend of confusion, lack of information and premature sexualisation among young people," ISPCC chief executive, Paul Gilligan said.

"Over the last three years there has been a marked increase in the number of calls concerning sexuality and sexual issues, which reflects not only the lack of information and support available to young people in this area but also the increasing sexual pressures on young people in general," he said.

The latest figures show that 458,958 calls were made to the service in 2002. 101,658 calls were answered by a volunteer or staff member, of which 53,632 (53%) involved a full two-way interaction.

Of the 53,632 answered calls involving a full two-way interaction, 15,294 (31%) calls involved young people getting to know the service (basic engagement), 9,041 calls (18%) concerned young people discussing everyday issues (chat calls) while the remainder 29,297 (51%) calls concerned young people discussing a specific problem.

Within the specific problem group 4,279 (9%) calls concerned sexual issues, 2,191 (4%) concerned physical abuse, 2,098 (4%) concerned sexual abuse and 1,968 (4%) concerned pregnancy.

Analyses of call trends for 2002 indicate that many new callers are using the service.

"The figures once again indicate how vital Childline is to children in Ireland. Not only is the service providing much needed support, advice and comfort but it also provides us with a template of the types of problems and issues facing young people in modern Irish society.

The massive increase in the number of calls answered is heartening although the service is still distressed by the calls that go unanswered and is committed to the challenge of striving to answer all calls," Mr Gilligan said.

Childline: 1800 666 666.