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CHILDLINE HAS EXPERIENCED an increase in demand for its services over the last week since schools and childcare facilities were forced to close due to the coronavirus outbreak in Ireland.
The Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) said it has recorded an increase in users of the Childline website of 26% in the week of 12 March (the day the schools closed) to 19 March, compared with the week previous.
In the week ending 15 March, there was an increase in contacts across all platforms compared to the previous week:
The topics children and young people spoke about with volunteers most frequently in the week ending 15 March were:
In a statement today, ISPCC chief executive John Church appealed to the public to continue to support the charity during this difficult period for many children:
“Imagine being a child at home right now. Except their home is not a happy place. Tension fills the air.
They wake in dread at what each new day might bring. They are isolated from their regular support network and at home with their tormentor. Childline is a lifeline.
He said vital fundraising activities on which Childline depends have been put on hold.
“But child abuse does not stop in a pandemic. Nor does neglect,” he said.
Nor do mental health difficulties or self-harm. In many cases, children and young people across the country are experiencing these issues more acutely now than ever before. Many of those who contact Childline tell us they feel as though they have nowhere else to turn. They need our help.
“Childline will continue to be there for them 24 hours a day, every day – but only if we receive public support at this critical time. We rely on donations for 90 per cent of our fundingm” Church said.
He appealed to the public to help share a sense of hope with the children who call Childline, to “let them know that someone cares”.
Donations to the ISPCC can be made here.
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Knew this would happen. Unfortunately school is often the safest place for some kids :(
This was bound to happen unfortunately You would have to fear for children in this situation
Maybe parents of children who know that a child in their child’s class has a difficult home life could keep some kind of contact going . No clue how but maybe teachers have inklings of who the vulnerable kids are and with home schooling on line could keep contact too .
@mary o dwyer: A number of teachers have started to organize food drops to particular families . Domestic abuse wise , it’s much more difficult.
That’s just terrible.in all that’s going on that is the lowest of the low.the poor kids.
I couldn’t do this helpline I’d be too angry upset disturbed . Oh god
Absolutely chilling to read this. These poor kids – breaks my heart thinking about what they have to deal with.
FFS sick bas%^rds. Love to see them parents locked up for a few years and bullied.
Donated. So so sad
This is a piddle in comparison to war zones such as Syria, Afghanistan etc.
We should be concerned with the mental health, educational loss and trauma suffered by the youth of these war zones rather than been stressing about the effect of what is a very temporary social isolation period.
The fatalities rate from this virus are less than the road deaths & homicides but we seem to tolerate this as the norm.
@Moorooka Mick: Irrelevant. Ireland isn’t currently at war. Just because other children have it worse doesn’t mean we shouldn’t care about our own.
@Moorooka Mick: are you being serious? What people in war zones are going through is horrendous but what many many children in THIS country go through on a daily basis is also horrendous. School was my safe haven. A reprieve from the physical, mental and sexual abuse I suffered on a daily basis. How dare you minimise these childrens’ suffering just because they are not in a war zone. Believe me their life at home is a war zone!
@Melissa OHara: Well said! Empathy is difficult for some people.
Some comments here are nothing less than weird as in, everyone must face reality and children can’t be excluded from the reality they live in. Break it to them gently but break it to them anyway. FFG and the European PP version of Global Neo-liberalism has obviously failed miserably and it’s the same kids that will preside over what follows. We are lucky in that the fatality rates appear to be less than 4%. Next time we may not be so lucky. We must do more learning, less knee jerking and cut the deluded B$ about an imaginary increase in ‘Domestic Suffering’ with no statistics or supporting material. Stay Safe, wash hands and give unsung heroes like check-out cashiers plenty of space and NO lip.
They are not happy in the house. What the fuk.
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