A Covid Christmas brings a whole new set of challenges for Childline 

Megan Sarl, volunteer at the ISPCC at Penrose Wharf in Cork: 'We have seen a significant increase, and throughout the summer and up to Leaving Certificate and results, in anxiety. Anxiety levels have really increased around children.' Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A few years ago, Megan Sarl tried to give up her volunteer work with Childline. It didn't quite work out.

"Three or four years ago I went to give it up because I was busy with work," the 27-year-old from Cork city explains. "And it came to the day of the last shift and I said 'you know, I can't do it'."

Ms Sarl, who studied youth work in college, has now been volunteering with Childline for four hours a week for eight years. She attributes this longevity in the role to the camaraderie within her team and her colleagues and, of course, the assistance she can provide to the children making contact, but it's not always easy. 

"As much as we get amazing and extensive training and support, and help from the supervisors and staff, it does hit you," she said. 

There are some calls that do come through and you just want to hit your head against a brick wall as you come off the call."

Childline has been fielding more than 800 contacts a day on average this year, roughly on a par with previous years, but with a huge Covid spike in March. Childline CEO John Church said the pandemic profoundly changed their calls.

For children and young people like Jane, Childline is a lifeline.

Childline relies on donations for 90 per cent of the funding which keeps us listening to children.

This Christmas, can you help us answer their call?

Donate now at: https://t.co/lGc3M429Dj pic.twitter.com/2mV7DhOhYC

— ISPCC (@ISPCCChildline) December 4, 2020

"It has definitely had a significant impact on the volume of calls and definitely changed the nature of calls and balance of type of calls we get, but also the third bit that really changed was the nature in which they [children] reach out to us," he said.

"Childline would be known for its phone service, we have been operating it for 32 years and have received 7.5 million calls in those 32 years, but children back then and now are completely different.

We made a conscious decision a couple of years ago to do a state-of-the-art online web chat service.

"Covid tested that system significantly and it really did show us we were doing the right thing. We needed to change, the way children are changing, we need to be where they are operating and in a way that is comfortable for them, and that's online."

He said there had been a 25% spike in volume of contacts in March when the first lockdown was introduced, with contact levels then falling into the summer months and returning to normal levels when schools returned in September.

"We did see a significant number of calls from children living in abusive homes, in a difficult relationship with their parents or parents that are not getting on very well," he said. 

I said to the team 'this is like Christmas Day every day'."

That is a reference to the increased sales of alcohol during lockdown – also an issue during the festive period – and children being in an unsafe environment in the home, as opposed to school and extra-curricular activities.

We need your help that when a child in Ireland calls out for help this Christmas, we are here to answer.

Visit https://t.co/jWOhYz2MBK@irewomeninharm #IWIHXmas pic.twitter.com/w3agnFXeKl

— ISPCC (@ISPCCChildline) December 17, 2020

Ms Sari expects this theme may re-emerge over the weeks to come.

"I usually do one of the Christmas Day shifts and just because it's Christmas Day the needs of children don't stop and that becomes very prevalent when you are on a call. They are talking about bullying, suicide or sexual or physical abuse at home and sometimes Christmas doesn't even get mentioned. It is really like any regular day. Then you have some kids who do ring and they are excited, but that's rare."

As to the impact of Covid this year, she said: "The biggest change that we have seen is that children aren't always safer at home. 

One child one day said 'they keep saying I'm safer at home but I'm not, I'm not safe here'. 

"It was very disheartening for that child to hear that, that really struck me and made me think."

Childline switched to a 24/7 service during the initial Covid lockdown and according to John Church, there was a significant increase in the number of online contacts.

"That told us children are not comfortable being overheard in the home," he said. Childline also saw a rise in the number of people accessing information from its website, on issues such as bullying and abuse.

Another trend also emerged. "We have seen a significant increase, and throughout the summer and up to Leaving Certificate and results, in anxiety. Anxiety levels have really increased around children."

He said in many cases this began with children expressing fears over the coronavirus, contracting it themselves or it affecting a member of their family, but continuing through the year.

Ms Sari agrees. "Covid was a massive shock to a lot of children, especially when they heard of grandparents getting sick. 

We had a lot of calls in September from children fearful of going to school, saying 'what if I have to get tested, or bring it home to my Grandad who lives with us?'"

She said the financial pressures caused by the pandemic also filtered through the calls and contacts. It all adds to her view that improved mental health services for children would be of huge benefit, as well as for youth supports and organisations.

Childline's own funding stream has been devastated by the pandemic and Mr Church said this Friday night might well have been the date for the annual Childline concert at the 3 Arena, an event that can net about €500,000 net for the organisation – vital money considering Childline costs €4m a year to operate.

"Our fundraising has been significantly hit," he said, adding that the public response earlier this year was "amazing" and that he hoped it could be replicated across the festive season when more calls and contacts are likely. "If we don't find alternative sources then we start to come under pressure," he adds.

It makes the continuing development of Childline – 7.5m calls answered in the past 32 years, with hi-tech online chat facilities and now video therapy sessions being piloted – all the more impressive. 

"At end of the day, that child rang me, and by talking to them I hopefully have made them feel better and they know that Childline is there to listen to them," Ms Sari said.

Even though restrictions have now been eased further, allowing greater flexibility to travel and meet people, it's likely many will see the worrying rise in coronavirus cases over the past week as a reason to stay put. That may be good for public health, but for some children, it's an unwelcome development, meaning more isolation and the possibility it could extend into the new year.

"Children being able to see their grandparents is going to be a huge benefit for them but there is obviously fear that we will be going into some sort of lockdown in January," Mr Church said.

He remembers last Christmas morning and the relative quietness of the Childline service. By that night, more than 800 contacts had come in, building from early afternoon as alcohol kicked in around the country. The service is prepared for as many as 1,000 or more contacts this Christmas, and Mr Church said: "We hope not."

Donate today so our Childline volunteers can continue to be there for every child and young person this Christmas, and always. https://t.co/VgAy1lSU7w pic.twitter.com/9mYiYLBlrJ

— ISPCC (@ISPCCChildline) December 15, 2020

Ms Sari said: "I'd say we will still be as busy. We are getting 900 calls a day at the moment and I wouldn't be surprised if it was 1,000 [at Christmas].

One child last week said to me they were afraid about what this Christmas will show."

It's a sobering thought, one worth recalling as we throw ourselves on the couch, the dinner eaten, dozing off in front of the telly. Maybe at that precise moment, Ms Sari and her colleagues will be talking through the issues of the day with a child who, right there and then, feels there is nowhere else to turn. Just as well she's still stuck in it, or as she put it: "I have no plans to go anywhere."

www.childline.ie