How our Speak Out, Stay Safe campaign makes a difference

Achild calls Childline every 25 seconds, seeking support for worries and concerns. More than 34,000 children told us last year that Childline is the first place that they had sought support, which is why we signpost it during our ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ assemblies.

Volunteers have been delivering our ‘Speak out. Stay safe’ assemblies for nearly a decade; giving a generation of children the knowledge and understanding they need to stay safe from abuse and neglect. These assemblies teach children how they can access Childline when they want to speak to a someone about their thoughts and feelings.

One child contacted Childline after their assembly, and praised the fact that the assembly covered things they hadn’t spoken about much in school. They said: “This is the first time in school we have ever been taught about anything sexual and it was helpful. They told us if we ever get touched not to be embarrassed and to speak to a trusted adult or to call Childline.”

Empowering children to have the confidence to speak out if something upsets or worries them is

vital. In 2019 alone, we taught more than 82,000 children about understanding abuse, across 374 schools in the region. Nationally, our volunteers speak to around 1.8 million children every single year. It costs £3 to reach one child with the assembly, and £4 to answer a call through Childline, but the outcome of helping a child to stay safe from abuse or neglect is priceless.

You may not realise, but 90% of the NSPCC’s funding for these services comes from generous fundraisers and donors. One of our amazing supporters is Lidl. The NSPCC has been working with Lidl for three years now, aiming to fundraise £3 million pounds to help continue our programme. Lidl partnered with the NSPCC on a national school’s competition. They challenged pupils to write, draw, and sing about why they love their school.

The competition was won by Broadway Junior School, in Sunderland, for their creative music video entry. They were rewarded with £5,000 in Lidl vouchers for their breakfast club and cooking lessons, which provide a safe space for all pupils to enjoy breakfast, learn skills, and make friends.

At Childline, we see the difference that your donation can make. Every penny counts when it comes to preventing cruelty to children.