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# Every Little Helps
'I take one less slice of bread for lunch' - how Irish children deal with recession
Last week Childline said its service deals not just with abuse children, but with children who are worried about the recession and how it’s impacted on their families.
Updated 7.56pm
THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY helpline Childline, has sought to highlight that it is not just a service for children who are being abused and neglected – volunteers are there for all children, and in recent years, this has included children who are victims of the recession.
Speaking ahead of the ISPCC’s AGM last week, Childline Volunteer Monica Rowe, said the helpline receives almost 2,000 calls a day.
“We get children who just want to chat, we get children who are being bullied, we get children whose parents have been let go or are not working out are financially strapped,” she explained. “And those children don’t want to burden their parents with their own worries now. They’re very smart – kids are very smart, and they’re very aware that their parents are in trouble. They’re very aware and they’re trying to stay quiet and they’re trying to stay good.”
Like one little fella who rang and said “I’m taking one less slice of bread in my lunch because that might help, that might save them some money”, but they’re not going to tell the parents that, because they don’t want to worry the parents.
“They’re not children at risk but they can offload, they can take a sigh of relief that they’ve offloaded and they can carry on with their day,” she said.
Last week, the ISPCC said its funds were so low since the fallout from the CRC and Rehab scandals that it may have to cut back on Childlike operating hours. This would mean the service would be closed at night – when it is needed most.
Donations are down 20 per cent so far this year and the charity is asking the public to start donating again, pointing out at its AGM last week that it is fully transparent, and all details of accounts can be found on its website.
- Childline can be reached free of charge, 24 hours a day at 1800 666 666
- Childline’s free text service runs from 10am to 10pm, text “talk” to 50101
- Childline’s online chat service runs from 10am to 10pm, accessible at www.childline.ie.
First published 8.45am
Related: ‘We’ve told children we’re here for them 24/7 – if charity crisis continues we won’t be’>
Opinion: Childline is at breaking point – who else will listen to vulnerable children?>
