by Q Radio News
Childline says it's staff and volunteers from Northern Ireland are expecting to deliver hundreds of counselling sessions to children and young people over this festive period.
Last year, over a 12 day period over Christmas and New Year, volunteers at the two bases here, carried out 1,140 counselling sessions with young people from across the UK.
During the same period, 195 counselling sessions were carried out with children living in NI who contacted Childline's 12 UK bases.
This Christmas, dedicated Childline volunteer counsellors and staff from Northern Ireland’s two bases in Belfast and Foyle will be on the end of phone lines and online to ensure hundreds of children and young people contacting them from across the UK have someone to talk to.
The charity's helpline is free and confidential, and open 365 days a year.
Geraldine McCaughey, Childline's senior officer says most young people contact them about issues including abuse, family relationships and mental health.
Donna Fulton, a counsellor at Childline’s Foyle base, is among the local staff working over the festive period.
She said: “Christmas can be a very difficult time for many children and young people.
"Some children may not have a family to spend Christmas with or there may be problems going on at home or it may be that a child is struggling with the loss of a loved one.
“There are many reasons why Christmas can be difficult and it is extremely important that every single child and young person knows that they do not need to go through anything on their own.”
One boy aged 10 told Childline: “Mum forgot Christmas because of her drinking – she drinks a lot. It’s just me and mum since dad left to live with his new partner. I don’t see him anymore as he has a new family.
“When I told her I had wished she had remembered Christmas she just said Santa isn’t real anyway.
"All my friends are having big meals with music and family and presents but not me. Mum is just sleeping all day and I feel really sad.
"I went in to her room to see if she wanted to watch some TV and she yelled at me to get out. It hurt my heart.”
Across the UK, Childline delivered 1,819 counselling sessions last Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day alone , a 10 per cent increase on the same days in the previous year.
On Christmas Day 2017 volunteers carried out 511 counselling sessions with children – up from 495 in 2016 and 409 in 2015 and the free and confidential helpline is preparing for hundreds of young people to get in touch over the coming days.
A spokesperson for Childline says, these figures emphasis the support the helpline provides to children during the Christmas period.
However, at the moment the service can only respond to 3 out of 4 children who need our help.
Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen said: “Christmas for many people is a happy time of year. But at Childline we know only too well that isn’t always the case for thousands of children and young people across the UK.
"For many it can be an extremely difficult time of year which can leave them in a very dark place.
“Thankfully Childline doesn’t close at Christmas and that is all thanks to our fantastic staff and volunteers who will be working around the clock, including Christmas Day, to ensure someone is there day or night to help any child or young person in need of advice or support, be it online or over the phone.”
Children and young people can contact Childline anytime on 0800 1111 or find support online at www.childline.org.uk
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