Ready to carry on Mum’s great work
When Esther Rantzen launched Childline almost 40 years ago, her daughter was just a toddler. As Rebecca takes over the reins from her famous mother, she tells LUCY JOHNSTON what a privilege it is to be involved with the iconic charity
FROM an early age Rebecca Wilcox was granted a unique insight into how Childline saves the lives of youngsters feeling suicidal. As the daughter of Esther Rantzen, the charity’s founder, she had the perfect role model and learnt the value of protecting the most vulnerable members of our society.
But even her upbringing could not prepare her for the “overwhelming” emotions she felt when recently handling her first call for Childline, after taking the reins from her terminally ill mother, 83, who has lung cancer.
Rebecca says: “My first counselling at Childline was a brave young person who contacted us for help to prevent them acting on their suicidal urges. I felt an overwhelming need to protect this young person from the horrible internal narrative they were suffering with.
“After assessing the situation we decided we had to call an ambulance.”
The mother-of-two, 44, adds: “Growing up with mum gave me a huge insight into just how valuable a resource Childline is.
“Mum would come home and tell us of case
‘Many children are experiencing trauma that would floor most adults’
studies, about how Childline could have a huge effect in real and positive ways.
“Childline has also affected legislation, how we as a society view our children and how we see parenting and the importance of listening to children.”
Esther, who with our sister paper the Daily Express has been campaigning for a change in the law to allow assisted dying, founded Childline in 1986.
Former BBC Watchdog presenter Rebecca began deputising for her mother’s presidential role at the charity last December and has trained as a volunteer counsellor.
She says: “Whether they are lonely, or hungry, or even have a blade to their wrist, many children are struggling today.
“So it is really important that children are aware of Childline, where they can have a safe space to discuss what is worrying them, and know that we will listen to every child that we can and aim to empower them to help themselves.
“Many children are experiencing traumatic issues that would floor most adults.
“The support in the social care system is not there for so many of them. It can become overwhelming.
Childline provided almost 3,000 counselling sessions last year, with emotional abuse, depression, problems with family relationships, self harm, friendship problems and bullying, accounting for most of those calls. Problems with school, sex and relationships, sexual abuse and exploitation are also among the major concerns affecting children who call the service, as well as self image and eating disorders.
Rebecca, who has sons Benji, 11 and Alexander, nine, is adamant her mother will remain the charity’s figurehead, despite her illness. She says: “When I was asked to take on the mantle after my mother resigned last year, I felt so privileged.
“I always knew I wanted to continue my connection with the charity after mum died and I was going to train as a counsellor. However, my mum’s association with the charity is a lifetime privilege and she will remain its president.”
She adds: “When we got mum’s diagnosis we thought things would happen at a pace and were thinking of ways of keeping her memory alive.
“I wanted a personal association with her after her death. I never expected them to ask me to do something so huge. I am possibly not aware of just how huge. I like denial, it’s something mum and I have in common.”
She continues: “Childline is such a brilliant charity. It’s wholly unique, giving children a voice and allowing them a safe space to speak.all those years ago I don’t think anyone realised
there was a vacuum to be filled, yet there was still so much resistance towards trusting children and listening to them. It worried a lot of people, but mum has always enjoyed talking to children, possibly more than adults.”
REBECCA believes she has inherited her campaigning zeal from her parents. Her late father, TV producer Desmond Wilcox, who died in 2000 aged 69, was also passionate about helping others. She reveals: “I am happier when I am campaigning than when I am not. I always wanted to be a volunteer and I love the connection of being a counsellor.
“Seeing how precious, delicate and sensitive my own children are at home is important.
“And we know that on average seven children in every classroom will experience abuse by the age of 18. We are doing something wrong as a society to allow this to happen. Much is invisible emotional abuse, but it still has a resounding effect, particularly if your day-to-day life and safe space is violated by a parent, carer or loved one.
“Counselling for Childline is the most rewarding thing you can be involved with. I treasure my time in the counselling room and it gives frontline experience of the charity’s work.
“I don’t know whether it was an accident of genetics or the visual representation and example of my parents, who were both huge charity
supporters and campaigners.” Rebecca, who is married to author Jim Moss and has five siblings, adds: “We had so much as kids in terms of love and support.
“My parents always listened to me and spoke to me with respect.they gave us a great education and we were brought up to understand the importance of giving back to people who did not have such support, like the children who do not feel safe in their own homes.
“It’s obviously hard to juggle that when you are working and bringing up children and I have no childcare. I’m dropping balls everywhere.
“It would be impossible to do this and juggle my work without my extended family support.
“But childhood is precious and short, and sometimes it’s horrible. This is why Childline aims to be there.”
‘Childhood is precious and sometimes horrible’