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CHILDLINE WAS CONTACTED by over 1,000 children on Christmas Day, the charity said this afternoon.
There were 1,040 contacts by phone, web chat and live text services. A team of 61 volunteers gave up their own Christmas and offered support to hundreds of children who needed to talk to someone.
Childline said that alcohol abuse was a recurrent theme brought up by children when they contacted the charity on Christmas Day. Some talked about difficulties they were having during the day, others said they had experienced the loss of a family member or family break-up.
ISPCC chief executive Grainia Long said: “Christmas should mean safety, warmth and happiness, but for many children that call our Childline service, this isn’t the reality.
Some children who contacted Childline on Christmas day are experiencing loneliness, loss and domestic violence over this festive period which makes what should be a happy time very difficult for them but thanks to our dedicated volunteers, Childline is here to listen and support them.
“We would like to thank sincerely our volunteers for giving up their Christmas day in order to listen to these children. Childline is here for children every day of the year and we couldn’t provide this essential service without the support of our dedicated, committed and highly-trained volunteers.”
How to get support from Childline:
By phone: Children and young people can contact Childline’s 24 hour phone service by phoning 1800 666666.
By text: Text the word: ‘talk’ to 50101 (service available from 10am to 4am)
Live online chat: Available from 10am to 4am, live chat on Childline.ie
Online: Support and advice for children and parents can be found on ispcc.ie and childline.ie
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That’s so sad. Fair play to the volunteers.
Misuse of alcohol is a scourge. Misuse of alcohol in a closed environment causes awful domestic tensions.
The long term traumatic impact on children is greatly underestimated and under appreciated.
It is indeed underestimated. . It never leaves you .. from childhood right up to adulthood. It stays with you forever and I wish parents were more aware of that. Never stay for the kids sake .. the kids are better off away from the situation .. no child should have to ring childline. Shame on the parents !
Very true. A lot more collateral damage than any other drug.
I grew up in that very household, it has had a life long affect on me. I rarely drink and can count the amount of times I’ve been drunk in the last 18 years on my two hands (less than once a year and even then I stayed at a friends house) I don’t believe kids should see their parents drunk. And don’t get me started on single parents who get drunk and are home alone with the kids. How are they supposed to protect their kids in the event of a medical emergency or house fire?
When I met my husband at 17 and I had our first child at 19 I told him he couldn’t move in with me if he ever intended on coming home drunk. He moved in when she was 2, if he intended on getting drunk he stayed at a mates house. In her 17 years she has only seen her dad drunk once and that was a couple of years ago.
People thought I was mad putting those restrictions on him, but I had my reasons.
I don’t mind having a drink or two around the kids, but getting drunk is a No no. It teaches the kids to respect alcohol and only consume it in moderation.
Very good post. I did not drink alcohol until my mid thirties. I control it and enjoy it moderately. It never controls me and am glad it doesn’t.
Truly well done to the volunteers. What a wonderful thing to do.
The average calls a day to childline in 2015 was 400. It’s a damn shame this is the effect Christmas has on our nation. I even find those with the money to afford a good Christmas get too caught up in the competitive consumerism of spending on useless garbage that doesn’t live past January.
@Kevin Higgins: good point about competitive consumerism.
I think often people get into far worse conditions when drinking at home than in pubs. Societal constraints don’t exist there by comparison and lines get blurred in more ways than one. You can get drunk and go upstairs to bed. Due to a nasty viral gastro infection none of us in this house are drinking this Christmas and it’s very nice so far.
have your say