Could you help Childline listen to children?

We’re recruiting for volunteers in our Dun Laoghaire and Drogheda units. Help us be there for children and young people

Childline volunteers are the heart and soul behind its 24/7 listening service for children and young people. These men and women go out of their way time and again to offer support to those who need it, whenever they need it, no matter the reason.

The Childline listening service is now recruiting volunteers for its offices in Dun Laoghaire and Drogheda. Its 24/7 listening service is free and confidential and can be reached online or by phone.

Childline volunteers come from all walks of life and are united by one common purpose: to help ensure no child or young person in Ireland has to face their challenges alone, no matter how big or small.

An excellent team spirit and sense of support prevails at Childline units throughout the country where volunteers gather for their four-hour weekly shift. Volunteers receive full training in advance of answering their first contact and ongoing support and upskilling thereafter.

Childline regional supervisor Mary Nolan Durkan says: “Childline volunteers play a vital role in helping to ensure there is always someone there to listen, support and empower children and young people in Ireland when they seek a listening ear. The Childline training course is a comprehensive course which equips volunteers with the skills to deliver a quality service to children.”

One of Childline’s volunteers Dee says that she never expected to get so much back from volunteering in her own life. “I have learned so many new skills and made friends from all walks of life. We are all united with a common purpose: to make sure every child has somewhere they can turn.”

Another volunteer Liz says that although she was initially nervous at the thought of becoming a volunteer with Childline, she is delighted that she did it. “People always think that you’re dealing with the most neglected children of society but this is not necessarily the truth, so many children just need to talk. It tugs at my heartstrings that so many children need Childline.”

If you would like more information on becoming a Childline volunteer at our unit in Dun Laoghaire and helping the service to listen to children and young people, please contact [email protected]

 

Kicking off a winning collaboration between Childline, DDSL and the beautiful game

How Childline and DDSL are teaming up to help ensure there’s always someone to listen when a child needs to talk

Childline by ISPCC and the Dublin District Soccer League (DDSL) are two organisations, united by a common cause – our wish to support children and young people. Childline and DDSL are delighted to announce our three-year partnership, the aim of which is to ensure that children and young people know they can always reach out, no matter what is on their mind.

Childline is home to Ireland’s only 24/7 listening services for children and young people. Childline staff and volunteers ensure that there is always someone to listen when a child or young person needs to talk. 

ISPCC needs to raise up to 75% of its funding each year from donations and the charity appreciates all support which helps ensure its services and supports are available to children and young people all day, every day.  

Childline is very grateful to Dublin and District Schoolboys’/girls’ Soccer League for donating 50c of each child’s annual registration fee to the organisation and is looking forward to our three-year partnership and commitment to supporting the well-being of children, parents and clubs within DDSL. 

DDSL, the leading youth football development league, is an organisation responsible for organising and overseeing competitive football matches for school children in the greater Dublin area. 

John Church, CEO of ISPCC, says: “DDSL plays a key role in the grassroots soccer community, Childline is here for every child and young person, and together we can make a real difference to the lives of the young members of our society. We can ensure that the over 35,000 children who are registered with the DDSL feel supported, listen to and informed.”

 

“We at the DDSL are delighted to partner with Childline and support the tremendous work they do in the support to children and parents when they need it most,” says Niall O’Driscoll, Director Dublin & District Schoolboys/girls League. 

 

“We will be launching dedicated training/educational supports for clubs, volunteers and parents using ISPCC’s Shield anti-bullying programme together with Childline’s 24/7 listening service, which is always available for any child needing help or just to talk.

 

“The player/child-centred approach of both organisations will be used to increase awareness and help adults understand the many issues and challenges our kids face in the current society.”

 

As part of its collaboration with DDSL, Childline has committed to providing: 

• workshops to DDSL and their clubs to ensure that every coach, parent and child has access to the supports they need

• access to Childline’s Anti-Bullying programme Shield for all 132 clubs

• supports for parents, coaches and children published on the DDSL website, socials and emails to the children’s guardians and coaches

Childline will be fundraising at the DDSL’s premier event this year – the Cup Final on May 19, 24, 25 and 26. Those attending will be able to donate to Childline.  All donations are very gratefully received. 

 

 

 

Get your runners on this Easter weekend for fun, frolics and a family day out!

Childline Family Fun Run 2024

Fancy a fun day out for the whole family this Easter with face painting, goody bags, music and much, much more? Then make your way to the West Pier in Dun Laoghaire for Childline’s inaugural Family Fun Run on Easter Saturday, March 30.

The day before Easter Sunday is a perfect one for an active get-together with the whole family, whether you fancy a walk, jog or run. The next day you’ll have the perfect excuse to indulge yourself with an Easter Egg or two or three…

The course is a total of just 3km (1.5km out along the pier and then back), and is suitable for everyone, including parents with strollers, small children, teenagers and not forgetting grandparents.

Whether you’re an active family, or you and your family are looking for a way to spend quality time together while giving back to an amazing cause; we have the perfect challenge for the whole family. 

To register for the event or find out more, go to Childline Family Fun Run| Fundraising Event Ireland (https://www.idonate.ie/event/childlinefamilyfunrun)

The event takes place between 10am and 12pm on the lower level of the West Pier and it’s open to all combinations of families and all ages, although those under 16 must be accompanied by an older family member. 

Once you’ve completed the pier run, you will receive a Childline Family Fun Run Certificate of Completion. Make sure you’ve got space on the fridge!

ISPCC needs to raise over 75% of its funding through donations each year to ensure we can be there to support children and young people 24-hours a day, 365 days of the year. We rely on the generosity of the public and are grateful for all support. We encourage children to reach out for any reason.

ISPCC receives ‘triple lock’ status again

We are delighted to announce ISPCC has yet again been awarded ‘Triple Lock’ status by Charities Institute Ireland (CII).

This status is awarded to charities that uphold the highest standards in transparent reporting, ethical fundraising and strong governance structures. As a triple-lock member, we maintain the highest standards of governance, ensuring that our donors, voluntary partners and the charitable community have complete faith in our organisation.

ISPCC is among a small number of registered charities in Ireland to have met this high standard of excellence.

To achieve the Triple Lock status, we adhered to the following guidelines regarding ethical fundraising, financial reporting and governance:

• we adopt the Guidelines for Charitable Organisations for Fundraising to the Public. Our staff, volunteers and anyone else fundraising on our behalf are fully trained on the requirements and we have implemented controls to ensure that all our fundraising practices are fully in line with the Guidelines

• We prepare an annual report and financial statements in full compliance with the Charity SORP (Standard of Reporting Practice under FRS102).

• Our board has formally adopted the ‘Charities Governance Code. This means that we comply with the six principles of governance. These require that we advance charitable purpose, behave with integrity, lead people, exercise control, work effectively and are accountable.

Get up, get out and get talking to help Childline by ISPCC help children and young people in Ireland

Childline by ISPCC urges Ireland to get chatting with our latest fundraising campaign

Get talking while walking and help children and young people by supporting the ‘Lap and Chat’ fundraising campaign from Childline by ISPCC. This latest campaign was developed in direct response to the worries of callers to Childline, ISPCC’s 24/7 listening service.

Both walking and talking are good for us but, together, they have added benefits. International research indicates that people with anxious tendencies feel more at ease with the person they were interacting with if they aren’t making eye contact with that person.

Childline is Ireland’s only 24/7 listening service for children and young people, and volunteers have increasingly been hearing callers share their mental health concerns.

We know from talking to children and young people that their worries range from sibling rivalry and differences in music tastes to exam anxiety, confusion about sexuality and self-harming.

This spring, Childline by ISPCC is calling on schools, clubs and creches to take part in our latest campaign by walking a lap while having a chat with a friend in the yard, school or local area.

We listen to school students sharing their worries every day so we know how vital it is for children and young people to share what’s on their mind.

Childline provides a supportive listening ear for all those worries and anything else on the minds of our callers. “If a worry is big to any of our callers, it’s big to us at Childline,” says John Church, ISPCC CEO.

ISPCC needs to raise up to 75% of its funding each year from donations and the charity is grateful for all support which helps ensure its services and supports are available to children and young people all day, every day.

To find out more about the campaign, including information on how to sign up a school, club or creche, visit https://ispcc.enthuse.com/cf/lap-and-chat-2024

ISPCC will provide a virtual school talk, reflection workbook for students, an information booklet about its school services and a completion certification.

The Lap and Chat event can be held any time in March or April.

Who are our children talking to online, asks ISPCC as it launches new campaign ahead of Safer Internet Day 2024.

ISPCC has developed a new ad campaign alerting parents to the dangers of online grooming in the run up to Safer Internet Day on February 6.

One thing we know for sure is that the online landscape is ever-changing, and that’s a scary prospect for even the most tech-savvy of parents.

We have released a range of helpful articles and videos on our Digital Ready Hub, and Parenting Hub to help equip parents with the tools to teach their children how to stay safe when they’re online while also encouraging them not to fear new technology. 

We are also delighted to bring you this FREE webinar series to coincide with Safer Internet Day 2024. These webinars aim to support families and their young people to be safe online. 

Register below:

  • ‘Don’t teach your kids to fear the online world, teach them to navigate It’ Parents webinar, Wednesday, February 7, 7pm to 8pm. Click here to register
  • “Don’t fear the online world, navigate it’ Parents and young people webinar, Thursday, February 8, 7pm to 7.30pm. Click here to register

Parents, face your fears, teach your children to be safe online with FREE webinars from ISPCC

January 22, 2024

New year, new you, new evolutions in the online world. One thing we know for sure is that the online landscape is ever-changing, and that’s a scary prospect for even the most tech-savvy of parents. 

But ISPCC can help equip you with the tools to teach your children how to stay safe when they’re online while also encouraging them not to fear new technology. 

ISPCC parenting lead Siobhan Harvey and Niamh Clarke, Manager of ISPCC Smart Moves programme, are hosting a one-hour webinar designed to help parents to learn more about online safety and to develop the key skills necessary to support their child. 

But it is also important to involve your child in learning how to safely navigate online. So the following day, ISPCC is hosting a second, 30-minute webinar aimed at children aged 12 years and over accompanied by a parent.

The aim of this series of webinars is to help parents and carers to recognise ways to interact with your child’s online world and day-to-day experiences and to allow young people to discuss their feelings in a safe space.

Our goal is to encourage parents to reflect on how you might support your child to navigate the online world, as well as implement digital boundaries. We will provide guidance on how parents and young people can deal with cyberbullying and upsetting content online and we will offer practical solutions and tips to help your child stay safe online.

ISPCC’s webinars will provide a non-judgemental place to ask questions, while also offering key take-aways in bite-size, easily digestible chunks. 

We at ISPCC know only too well the importance of staying safe online. Children and young people tell us their concerns through our 24/7 Childline listening service, through our therapeutic services and through our Shield Anti-Bullying programme. 

We understand that parents, carers and young people are concerned that our increasing reliance on digital technologies are exacerbating feelings of anxiety and depression among our youth, and we’re here to listen and to help.

Webinar details are:  

  • Parents webinar, Wednesday, February 7, 7pm to 8pm. Click here to register
  • Parents and young people webinar, Thursday, February 8, 7pm to 7.30pm. Click here to register

Childline by ISPCC reports over 100 contacts made in relation to sexual abuse in past month

  • Ireland’s only 24hour listening service for children and young people launches national Christmas appeal as harrowing statistics reveal up to 10 contacts per week from teenagers pertaining to rape

Dublin, November 27th, 2023 – Childline by ISPCC has today launched a national Christmas appeal with heartbreaking statistics that reveal Ireland’s only 24-hour listening service for children and young people receives:

• 120,000 contacts each year of which almost one quarter are classified “level 4” – the most concerning.

• 26 contacts from children and young people in relation to child sexual abuse on a weekly basis. 

• 169 contacts about incest to date (November 27th, 2023)

• Weekly Childline by ISPCC receives between five to 10 contacts from teenagers about rape. 

 

This Christmas the team of staff and volunteers at ISPCC will be working hard to address these horrifying statistics. The 24/7 Childline listening service means that there is always someone to listen if a child or young person needs to share their story, during the festive season and all through the year.

 

Many of the contacts received by the team at ISPCC are heartbreaking. One of our volunteers Ciara* spoke several times to a little girl named Orla* who rang about how scared she was of the monster who came to her bedroom at night. 

 

This monster should have been one of the most trusted people in her life, but nine-year-old Orla was being sexually abused by a member of her family. 

 

Another volunteer Maria* tells of a young caller Jess* who was also being abused at home. Jess had been calling Childline regularly and through talking to our volunteers had built up her courage and determination to protect and save her siblings from her own horrifying experience. 

 

Orla and Jess’s experiences are not rare. According to the CSO Sexual Violence Survey 2022, 41% of respondents, aged 18-24, experienced sexual violence as a child. Of those surveyed, 83% of victims knew the perpetrator.

 

Mairead McGinn, Director of Fundraising, ISPCC said: “Childline relies heavily on public generosity to help keep us here for every child and young person 24 hours a day. We depend on donations for up to 75% of the funding which keeps us listening 24hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a real difference and helps to ensure that we always provide a listening ear and support to those who need it.”

 In addition to our 24/7 Childline service, ISPCC is also playing an active role to help prevent child sexual abuse through a number of proactive initiatives.

 

“At ISPCC, we know how important technology is as a means of combatting child sexual abuse. We are delighted to be involved in the GroSafe research project with TU Dublin, the aim of which is to develop a technology-enabled solution to build societal resilience to child grooming,” said Fiona Jennings, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, ISPCC.

 

She continued: “We are also working with TU Dublin in an End Violence Against Children funded research project to develop a tool that reveals the patterns of adults perpetrating online child sexual abuse and the children who are affected by such violence.”’

 

To donate this Christmas, go to www.ispcc.ie/christmas-appeal-2023/

*Names have been changed 

 

ENDS

 

A new national hub for ISPCC as “Team Childline” logs over one million hours dedicated to listening to children and young people 24/7

ISPCC CEO John Church with Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman

For 35 years, Childline has been part of the fabric of Irish society and as we celebrate the opening of our new national hub in Dun Laoghaire with Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, we remain as dedicated as ever to our mission of supporting children and young people.  

ISPCC staff and volunteers are a united team, determined that there will always be someone to listen if a child or young person needs to talk.  

John Church, CEO ISPCC said: “Our new national hub is a tangible demonstration of our continuing commitment to the needs of children and young people and reflects our desire to provide the best possible working environment for the teams delivering Childline’s full suite of services.  The contemporary space enables us to continue to pursue and deliver a digital-first strategy, ensuring that we are there for every child or young person in Ireland. Anytime and for any reason.” 

“The ISPCC has played an important role in the support and protection of children and young people in Ireland over many years. It has created an anonymous and non-judgemental space for children and young people to be heard and to be listened to, and I hope ISPCC staff and volunteers enjoy many productive years in their new national hub,” said Minister O’Gorman. 

Staff and volunteers are at the very heart of Childline. They give back in the most generous spirit. One million hours is a phenomenal amount of time, equating to 114 years or 41,666 days. And yet that is the amount of time that ISPCC’s amazing volunteers have dedicated to Childline’s 24/7 listening service.  

Val Beegan, a volunteer who has been involved with Childline for over 25 years, says the most crucial issue over the last quarter century is the decline of mental health in children and young people.  

Mental health is one of the most common reasons children and young people contact helplines, including Childline, according to the recently published Voices of Children & Young People Around the World global child helpline data report.  

In just five days’ time (November 20), it is World Children’s Day, a day to support children’s rights. By then, Childline will have had over 85,000 connections with children and young people since the start of 2023.  

“There has never been a more important time than now to prioritise the mental health of young people, as families face financial uncertainty, while young people tackle new levels of social media pressure and are exposed to the reality of wars and a global pandemic at a very early age,” said John Church. Childline can be reached online at Childline.ie or by calling 1800 66 66 66. 

Some young people may feel that their issue is not important enough to seek support. But we believe everything in life is worth talking about.  

ISPCC welcomes Budget proposals for improved mental health services for children and young people but notes there’s more to be done

ISPCC welcomes Minister Mary Butler’s Budget 2024 announcements for children and young people’s mental health, in particular the creation of a new central referral mechanism. This will allow the HSE to triage referrals to the right service ensuring what the Minister refers to as a ‘no wrong door’ approach. We know first-hand of the frustrations of children and families when they are trying to access appropriate support and end up being moved around from waiting list to waiting list.

The allocation of funding for a new mental health app is positive and ought to help with signposting users to the services and supports that are available.  

We also welcome the Minister’s comments on the important role NGOs, such as ISPCC, play in the delivery of mental-health support services in the community. As an organisation dedicated to supporting children and young people, ISPCC recognises the need for systemic change in how we, as a society, address mental-health concerns. Therefore, it is heartening to hear that a new head has been appointed to lead the work on reforming child and youth mental health.

The Budget 2024 investment is a welcome successor to that contained in Budget 2023. Then, funding was allocated for the first ever Clinical Lead for Youth Mental Health and the establishment of a dedicated National Office for Child and Youth Mental Health. These are both key steps in providing leadership and oversight in this area.

ISPCC Head of Policy and Public Affairs Fiona Jennings says that “we recognise the systemic challenges our mental-health sector faces and believe these can only be overcome by a concerted effort among all stakeholders. The announcement of a triage service to help direct children and young people to appropriate services is hugely welcome and will go some way to alleviating waiting lists.

“However, mental health funding remains a long way off from the 10% target of overall health spending by 2025.”

The combination of the proposed triage system, the establishment of the child poverty and wellbeing unit in the Department of An Taoiseach and that mental health may be a spotlight issue in the next national policy framework for children and young people mean that these initiatives ought to go some way to realising the pathfinder way of working and we welcome this.

Children with complex needs are a group of children who will require a particular focus and all efforts must be employed to ensure they do not slip through the cracks.

There has never been a more important time than now to prioritise the mental health of young people, as families face financial uncertainty, young people tackle new levels of social media pressure and they are exposed to the reality of wars and the aftermath of a global pandemic.

At Childline, we are dedicated to helping children with difficult situations and empowering them to strengthen their resilience, equipping them to cope with adversity and to come back even stronger after a difficult or stressful experience.

Childline can be reached online at Childline.ie or by calling 1800 66 66 66.

The service is confidential, non-judgemental and non-directive, meaning it doesn’t tell children and young people how to solve their problems.

Some children may feel that their issue is not important enough to seek support. But we believe everything in life is worth talking about.