A simple text can support our most vulnerable
EVERY hour the voices of 20 children in desperate need of help are going unheard, due to lack of funding.
That is 175,000 children a year – one in four – being left at risk as they are unable to get through to the crucial and free Childline services.
There has been a sharp rise in demand for online and late-night counselling from the NSPCC service.
Children call seeking help for issues such as domestic and sexual abuse, eating disorders, substance abuse, bullying and gender and sexuality issues.
Due to extra demand there are simply not enough people to answer them.
Dame Esther Rantzen, pictured below, who founded the 24-hour counselling service in 1986, said: “Childline works night and day to be there for as many children and teenagers as possible.
“However, with more and more young people contacting us online, and these sessions taking double the time as those conducted over the phone, our resources are becoming increasingly stretched.”
Childline needs an extra £500,000 a year to help close the gap and the Daily Mirror and Sky Cinema have joined up with the NSPCC for the Light Up Christmas for Children campaign, which is asking that you help to save a struggling young person today. A simple text donation can save lives.
Just £4 covers the cost of a counsellor responding to a child, while £20 will go a long way towards paying for a full counselling session.
The campaign will help raise vital funds for Childline to source extra staff, thereby giving all young people the chance of a brighter future.
Dame Esther added: “We are really excited that a great campaigning newspaper like the Daily Mirror is backing our efforts to get to young people in need of our help more quickly.”
NSPCC boss Peter Wanless said: “We are calling on Mirror readers to back our campaign to enable Childline to be there for even more young people in need.”
In addition to text or online donations, Childline is also making an appeal for more volunteer counsellors, especially people who are willing and able to work in the evenings.
Last year, almost 800,000 calls, chats and emails were put through to Childline, with 625,000 of those getting to speak to a counsellor.
Please help Childline. Donate £4 by texting “NSPCC 4” to 70744 or visiting nspcc.org.uk/mirror. Text costs include your donation of £4 plus your standard network rate. To donate £12 text “NSPCC 12” and to donate £20 text “NSPCC 20”, also to 70744. Or fill in and post the coupon below. The NSPCC will receive 100% of your donation.