KIDS Helpline, Australia’s only 24/7 national children’s counselling and support service, has released alarming statistics showing 40 per cent of requests for help to the service went unanswered last year.
An estimated 156,000 telephone calls and emails went unanswered in 2013, due to a rise in demand for youth counselling services.
Kids Helpline CEO Tracy Adams said the service required an additional $4 million to be able to meet demand by increasing staff and investing in infrastructure, new programs and technologies.
“We encourage kids and young people to keep trying to contact us if they can’t get through, it is vitally important that they do, counsellors are available every hour of the day,” she said.
The number of children seeking help through either counsellors or website visits increased from 645,000 to over 700,000 between 2012 and 2013 - up 10 per cent.
"We've got increasing numbers of young people reaching out to the service when they're in crisis, dealing with very significant issues and we do worry about that," she said.
Ms Adams said Kids Helpline is 70% funded by the BoysTown Art Unions and is calling for more support from Government, corporates and donors.
"We believe it is everyone’s responsibility to fund this essential service.
“We want young people to get the very best service they can, particularly with the issues they are ringing about.
"We are helping young people deal with life’s extremely serious issues such as suicide, mental health, anxiety, depression, bullying, as well as every day issues such a friendship and relationship problems.
“Young people need to know someone will be there for them when they reach out for help,” Ms Adams said.
Kids Helpline Overview, a comprehensive report on the key issues affecting young people in 2013, is due out next month.
Kids Helpline is Australia’s only 24/7 telephone counselling and support service for young people aged between 5 and 25 - visit www.kidshelp.com.au or call 1800 55 1800.
Donations to Kids Helpline can be made at www.kidshelp.com.au/donate/
FAST FACTS:
In 2013 the charity had more than 700,000 direct contacts and self-help activities with kids and young people.
Last year, there were 390,000 attempts to reach Kids Helpline counsellors via telephone and online services (web and email). Unfortunately around 156,000 or 40% of these contacts went unanswered.
Every 60 seconds a young person contacts Kids Helpline.
Kids Helpline is 70% funded by the community through BoysTown Art Union sales, as well as donations, corporate support and government grants.
