(c) Mick Eglinton (posed by a model)
Christmas is a magical time of year for most children across South Wales but sadly there are some for whom it can be an incredibly difficult and lonely time.
ChildLine figures announced today (Monday 9 December) show the free, confidential, 24-hour helpline and online service provided by the NSPCC, is expecting counsellors at its base in Cardiff to carry out more than 200 counselling sessions from children and young people across the UK this month1.
In December last year, the Cardiff base received 43 contacts about family relationship issues, which could be anything from worries relating to parents separating to arguments with family members and wanting to leave home or go into care. Trained volunteers also carried out 31 counselling sessions about bullying and online bullying, and saw a worrying trend towards children contacting the service with concerns that posed a serious risk to their lives, including 21 about suicide and 41 about and self-harm.
One child who contacted ChildLine in Cardiff last Christmas told a counsellor, “I dread Christmas every year. My mum is an alcoholic so uses the day as an excuse to get drunk even earlier than normal. It makes me upset seeing her wasted all the time so I’m always eager to go back to school. Some of my family know about my mum’s drinking but they don’t do much to support me – I don’t think they really care. I’ve started self harming to help me cope because I don’t see any other option. (Girl, 16-18, Cardiff Base)
Amy Jones, supervisor at the Cardiff base, said: “Hundreds of ChildLine volunteers will be spending Christmas Day not with their families, but seeing the other side of the festive season. We’ll be talking to children and young people for whom Christmas can be a truly miserable time, listening to them, providing advice and support and being there for them when they have nowhere else to turn.”
Dan Mulqueen, a volunteer at the base who will be working on Christmas day said: “It’s no exaggeration to say that ChildLine really could be the difference between life and death for some children this Christmas. Please help us be there when they need us most – just £4 will help us answer a call this Christmas.”
ChildLine provides a lifeline for thousands of children at Christmas. To ensure that trained counsellors can continue to listen and offer help, advice and support to children and young people who need to talk, even on Christmas Day, the NSPCC has launched its Christmas Call for Help Appeal.
Visit www.nspcc.org.uk or text HOPE to 70744 to donate £4 and help answer a call to ChildLine this Christmas.
