Helpline shocked at surge in calls from children
The service had 11% more calls from children suffering abuse or other harm last year – an increase that contributed to a shocking 25% rise in the overall number of calls made.
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children was “astounded” by the increases that brought the total number of calls to its service to 815,708.
Childline manager Lloyd Byrne said the volume of calls raised questions about why children felt so disenfranchised that they had to ring a voluntary listening service to have someone to talk to. “It’s hard to picture 800,000 calls but you would be familiar with what Croke Park would be like full to capacity on All-Ireland final day. Now picture that scene multiplied by 10,” he said.
Most of the calls answered (63%) related to everyday issues which caused anxiety or confusion but 13%, one in eight, revealed more serious abuse or welfare issues.
That figure was up 11% on 2008, a jump linked to the growing financial strains in families affected by unemployment and debt.
Some 80% of those calls were made by children at night and the organisation said it showed a need for a state-provided out of hours social worker service.
It noted Government promises to boost the number of social workers but said it was essential those promises be honoured.
Director of services, Caroline O’Sullivan, said: “The commitment has been written down but it’s one thing to have it written down in a report sitting up on a shelf. We want them to act on it. This is too serious to let go.”
Other calls related to sexuality (11%), peer and family relationships (7%) and requests for information (6%) but more than 300,000 calls – 37% of the total – could not be answered.
The service, which costs more than €4 million a year to run, receives no Government funding so Childline relies on donations to provide the €5 it takes to answer every single call.
Top-selling band Westlife gave the service a boost yesterday by becoming the first ever ambassadors for Childline. The band, who already support a fundraising concert each year, will lend their name to promotional activities for the service.
lDonations can be made by calling 1800 504050 or log on to ispcc.ie/donate.
lChildline can be contacted free on 1800 666666, visit childline.ie, text “list” to 50101 for information on services, or text “talk” to 50101 to chat to a volunteer by text message.
