‘Childline is here to show children that they are not alone’
NSPCC Cymru celebrates the 35th birthday of its Childline service tomorrow. Here, Louise Israel, Childline Cardiff service manager, outlines why it’s more important than ever
GChildline is a safe space to turn to, whatever difficulties a child or young person may be facing and no matter how big or small it may seem to them LOUISE ISRAEL, CHILDLINE CARDIFF SERVICE MANAGER
ROWING up isn’t easy – and no matter how strong and adaptable children are, stress can take a toll.
Every week volunteers from across Wales listen to, and support, children and young people who contact the NSPCC’s Childline service – sometimes sharing their worries or concerns for the first time. Our volunteers in Wales counsel children and young people around the UK in English and Welsh, so that they don’t have to cope alone. They volunteer their time at our Childline bases in Cardiff and Prestatyn, and remotely too since the start of the pandemic.
We know that right now many children are not coping. They’re dealing with pressures and worries no child should have to face, and mental and emotional health remains the top concern for children and young people contacting Childline.
Childline is a safe space to turn to, whatever difficulties a child or young person may be facing and no matter how big or small it may seem to them. Whatever life throws at them, we’re here to show children that they matter, that we understand, and they’re not alone.
The Welsh Government’s longterm commitment to supporting Childline Cymru and the ongoing support of The Moondance Foundation, founded by Diane Engelhardt, has been instrumental in ensuring children can access specialist support, advice and counselling online or over the phone at any time of the day or night.
The service is available 24/7 thanks to volunteers who support 12 Childline bases and our virtual team across the UK. This year, as we mark 10 years of Childline Cardiff and celebrate Childline’s 35th birthday, it’s important to note that we couldn’t do it without people with a passion
to help children and young people and a willingness to volunteer a few hours of their time each week.
Support worker Zoë Hughes-Blinston, 33, lives in Bridgend and started to train as a Childline volunteer in January 2021.
“Children and young people now
are dealing with the types of pressures that I never had to deal with as a child. I was badly bullied in school, but when I was home I had a break from it all. Children don’t get that now with the launch of social media, they can receive constant communication and bullying through these channels and they just can’t catch a break. Sometimes for children, even their home isn’t a safe space for them and they confine themselves to their bedrooms.
“I feel that Childline is essential for children and young people in Wales, it’s a safe space to talk about what is on their mind, free from judgement. I find that a lot of the contacts I have received, there is a genuine fear of talking to someone who is involved in their life, whether that be a parent, a teacher or counsellor. It’s a really brave thing for a child or young person to come through to Childline and we only discuss what they feel comfortable sharing, sometimes they will say everything at once, and other times it takes a little bit longer once the counsellor has gained their trust. Childline really is an essential service, everyone who volunteers and works there has a genuine passion about helping children and young people.
“To know that I am making a difference to someone’s life can feel very rewarding, but it isn’t about me, it’s about the children and young people who come through. I just want to be there for them, in that small moment in their life where they needed to reach out and talk to someone.”
Chris Graham, 68, lives in Cardiff and started volunteering for Childline after retiring. She has given more than 1,500 counselling hours over seven years.
“It is such a privilege to be able to talk to the young people, often as young as age 10, who may have not been able to talk to anyone else previously. During Covid, there seems to have been an increase for children with high-risk concerns including suicide and self-harm. It has been such a strange isolating time for many, and some children come through regularly to chat. Childline may be their lifeline.
“One counselling session that sticks with me was with a 10-yearold child who had been told his dad was going to die.
“He was on a Covid ward and the boy hadn’t been able to see him.
“The Childline team in Cardiff is now like a second family. The supervisors ensure that you care for yourself with important debrief sessions, so you don’t go away with any feelings that you find hard to cope with after some of the calls. I am so lucky to have such a rewarding life.”
Childline is available for young people 24/7 on 0800 1111 or at www.childline.org.uk.