NSPCC launches urgent fundraising appeal as its Childline volunteers in Wales continue to provide lifeline to hundreds of worried children

• Selfless Childline volunteers in Wales deliver more than 250 counselling sessions to children and young people concerned about Coronavirus
• NSPCC launches ‘We’re still here for children’ – an emergency appeal to raise vital funds to support children and families when they need it most
• Wales Rugby trio heap praise on Childline volunteers in Prestatyn and Cardiff

NSPCC Cymru / Wales has revealed today how its dedicated Childline volunteers in Wales have counselled more than 250 children worried about Coronavirus in the last three weeks, as the charity launches an urgent fundraising appeal so it can still be there for young people when they need it most.

The charity is growing increasingly concerned about the number of children who will experience abuse or neglect due to the impact of Coronavirus, with families struggling with lockdown, job losses and school closures.

To continue to support children during this challenging period, and to adapt to the ever- changing situation, the NSPCC has launched its emergency appeal ‘We’re still here for children’.

The NSPCC is urging the public to visit its website and donate £10 to help fund vital services like Childline, so the charity can continue to answer calls and be here for the young people who desperately need someone to talk to, especially when home isn’t a safe place.  

Stars of Wales Rugby Sam Warburton, Jamie Roberts, and Ryan Jones have thrown their weight behind the charity, publicly thanking Childline volunteers in Prestatyn and Cardiff for continuing to be there for children.

Sam says: “The volunteers are working tirelessly during this really difficult time to help vulnerable children from all across the country. Without them the charity wouldn’t be able to exist.”

Debs Davis is Childline’s Service Manager for Wales.

She says: “Children continue to reach out to Childline worried about Coronavirus and our dedicated team of volunteers in Prestatyn and Cardiff have counselled more than 250 young people about this.

“We know that home isn’t a safe place for every child and so especially during this time we must continue to be there for those who need us.

“Children are worried and some are talking to us about feeling suicidal or struggling with their mental health and so we’re changing the way we operate so that we can be there for them.

“This is possible thanks to supporters who we rely on for 90% of our funding, and as we continue to adapt the way in which we work it will only be possible to continue being there for children with more support.”

Across the UK’s 12 Childline bases, volunteers counselled more than 2,200 children and young people between 21 January and 8 April who were concerned about Coronavirus. Of those counselling sessions, 12% have been delivered from Childline volunteers at bases in Prestatyn and Cardiff, who have been given critical worker status by Welsh Government.

Mental and emotional health was the main concern for 58% of those children counselled by Childline volunteer in Wales, with other concerns including family relationships, suicidal thoughts and feelings, and sex and relationships.

Eva and Kim both volunteer their time as counsellors at Childline in Prestatyn.

“This is such an anxious time for us all, so it’s particularly important that we continue to support children and young people some of whom may be really vulnerable through all of this change and uncertainty,” said Eva.

Kim added: “We have seen a large number of children and young people coming through to use the service because they are very concerned and worried about the effects of the coronavirus.

“Some children live in abusive homes and their respite was school. Other children will have been looked after by extended members of the family because their parents are key workers.

“They don’t get to see them, they are worried about their health, they are worried about how they are. They come through to us and we are proud and privileged that they use the service to come and talk to us.”

In the past few weeks Childline has heard from children whose parents have lost their jobs and are under growing financial pressure, as well as from young carers struggling to look after their siblings whilst their parents fall sick with Coronavirus symptoms. Childline is also hearing from children who have had suicidal thoughts and talk about feeling trapped and isolated.

A 15-year-old girl told Childline:

“I am not happy at home. My parents are physically abusing me – it’s happening quite often now since schools closed and I’m really scared. They hit me and often it leaves me with bruises but they don’t stay for long. I really want to get out of the house and be somewhere safe and happy. I’m scared that my parents will get angry and hurt me more if I tell someone.”

Despite Childline having to close the night service for the first time and having a 30% drop in volunteer hours, due to counsellors having to self-isolate, it’s battling to still be there for children across the UK.

Dame Esther Rantzen, Founder of Childline, said: “The world is an unfamiliar and very frightening place for thousands of children across the UK at the moment. We know that school no longer provides the sanctuary it once did and many young people are having to face unprecedented challenges at home without the vital support networks that normally surround them. Childline is more crucial than ever as a safe way children can reach out for help. We really are, as one volunteer counsellor told me, the fourth emergency service.

“Now more than ever we must continue to be there for the young people who desperately need us, no matter what. We don’t know what other challenges lie ahead, but we want to be prepared to weather any storm so that we can be there for children. That is why we are urging the public to get behind our very important emergency appeal and donate £10 so that we can provide essential support.”