Childline staff and volunteers have celebrated the 30th anniversary of the NSPCC-run service opening in South Wales and supporting tens of thousands of children.
NSPCC Cymru first opened a Childline base in Swansea in April 1993 before moving to Cardiff in 2011.
Childline is a free, confidential service available online, on the phone, anytime for children and young people up to 19-years-old to seek support and advice.
As staff and volunteers celebrate the milestone, the NSPCC has revealed that counsellors in South Wales – who now respond to contacts from all over the UK – have delivered more than 220,000 counselling sessions to children and young people over the last 30 years.
This makes up about four per cent of all counselling sessions delivered by Childline during that time.
Deborah Hopkins, who has been a volunteer counsellor for more than 10 years at the Cardiff base, said: “The basic needs of children haven’t changed. They want to be listened to and feel they are loved and cared for, not just by their family but by anyone they engage with.
“But probably the biggest change I’ve seen is the increased use of online chat platforms which is to be expected given that a growing number of children are becoming increasingly familiar with such methods.
“The actual content of the sessions and the reasons for being contacted are pretty consistent, but the delivery method is evolving and we’re adapting to the needs of the children who reach out to us.”
In 2021/22, Childline counsellors in Cardiff delivered 4,865 counselling sessions to children and young people.
The top three main concerns were mental/emotional health (representing more than one in three contacts), family relationships (10% of contacts) and suicidal thoughts/feelings (9%).
Deborah added: “The main thing I like about volunteering for Childline is how meaningful it is when you make a difference to the life of a child or young person who needs our support.
“We do hear some very difficult, emotional and sometimes tragic stories, but knowing that we are supporting children and young people in need is the main driver for me and the motivation that drives me to continue offering my time.”
Lisa Harrhy started volunteering for Childline in March 2021 after hearing about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on volunteer numbers.
She said: “I really like being part of something wonderful.
“It’s very rewarding when young people feel better after sharing what’s been on their mind and it’s reassuring that young people in crisis have someone to turn to.
“I’m so glad I began volunteering. Childline has become very special to me.
“It’s an amazing service and a pleasure to be able to speak to so many lovely young people that need someone to talk to.”
NSPCC Cymru has also revealed that volunteer counsellors provided a total of 4,818 counselling hours at its Cardiff base last year.
The children’s charity is currently recruiting new volunteer counsellors in Cardiff, to ensure Childline can always be there for children and young people.
Louise Israel, Childline Team Manager at the Cardiff base, said: “We have supported so many children and young people over the last 30 years and this has only been possible with the support of our amazing volunteers.
“They continue to play a vital role in ensuring that Childline can continue to support all children and young people who need our help.
“Our volunteers come to Childline from all walks of life, the one thing they have in common is a passion and enthusiasm for helping others. In doing this our volunteers feel a sense of achievement, knowing they have really made a difference in the lives of the young people they talk with. They also learn new skills that can be helpful in other areas of their life too, make new friends and receive support from our team of supervisors.
“We have all had many challenges to face over the last three years and this has had a significant impact on so many families and children. Childline is needed just as much now as we were 30 years ago.”
Children and young people can contact Childline about any worries by calling 0800 1111 or visiting the site. Adults concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or via [email protected].
