ISPCC seeks more out-of-hours services

ALMOST 80 per cent of children calling Childline for help do so at the weekend or in the evenings, underlining the need for more out-of-hours services for families in distress, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (ISPCC) has said.

Publishing annual statistics for its helpline yesterday, the children’s charity said the number of calls increased last year by over 26,000 to more than 650,000, compared with 2007.

The total number of calls received last year was 656,756, of which 63 per cent were answered. The largest proportion, 48 per cent, related to “everyday life” issues. Some 15 per cent related to issues around “sexuality” – including concerns about pregnancy, contraception and sexual orientation.

Some 13 per cent of calls were about abuse and violence. ISPCC director of services Caroline O’Sullivan said 27 per cent of the calls about abuse were about bullying, 28 per cent were about physical abuse and 29 per cent were about sexual abuse.

“It is staggering that 78 per cent of the total number of calls were made by children out of working hours – at the weekends and in the evenings when I suppose they are home from school.

“It is in response to this fact that we are launching our ‘24-hour Child Campaign’. We are calling on the Government to immediately establish a national 24-hour social work service for children and families.”

She said the charity had yesterday written to every TD seeking their support and a meeting with them to discuss the campaign.

ISPCC advocacy manager Mary Nicholson said cases including those of Leanne (5) and Shania (3) Dunne in Monageer, Co Wexford, who were found dead with their parents last April, and of Sharon Grace who drowned herself and her two daughters in Wexford in 2005, showed how critical were the gaps in the system.

“Thankfully these high-profile cases are not indicative of the norm,” said Ms Nicholson. “However there are countless other children, evident by calls to Childline, experiencing abuse outside of office hours. These children urgently need protection. While An Garda Síochána have the power to intervene, a Garda station is no place for a vulnerable child.

“If we have a 24-hour service, children and families can be supported and abuse which escalates to high threshold levels can be reduced.”

Ms O’Sullivan also pointed out that while 63 per cent of calls were answered last year and this was ahead of target, it still meant 37 per cent of callers did not get to speak to someone. “And we know only too well that in a recession there is going to be greater need for support for families in distress”.

Childline is aiming to answer 100 per cent of calls by 2011 and had targeted 60 per cent by the end of last year.

The ISPCC is seeking the public’s support in its campaign through signing an online petition, details of which are on its website, www.ispcc.ie