Today, the ISPCC reveals it received 200,000 contacts from children and teenagers last year.

Megan (28), a frontline worker and volunteer, has been giving four hours of her time each week to the charity for almost a decade. She says many of the children and teenagers she talks to are still in her thoughts, years after their anonymous conversations.

“Six or seven years ago I spoke to a child who was extremely suicidal. And no matter what I said, I wasn’t calling her. She didn’t want to talk about her suicidal thoughts. The only thing she wanted to talk about was the suicide note she had written for her father. And even though I tried to talk to her, she didn’t care. I never spoke to her again after that, so I’m not sure she ever went through with her plan. She was 16 at the time. Her mother had died and she saw nothing but commit suicide. It still sticks with me to this day,” Megan says.

Although some of the appeals are at the end of the scale, others are simply young people looking for a listening ear. “One of the things kids will often say is ‘I’m not worth it’ or ‘my parents are busy, I couldn’t disturb them’ or ‘they’re always on the phone’,” Megan explains.

“Children who are victims of domestic violence tend to be much older than their years. They become very protective of this parent. Then they are introduced into the mixture. The other parent takes it out on them.

“They can be punched or punched, but the only thing I notice is that the words linger. Whether it’s their appearance or their personality. This seems to hurt children much more than physical abuse.

When the parents separate, she says, “You will always have a child who will say ‘Dad’s been pretty depressed since Mum left, they don’t love me anymore.’ It’s something I hear a lot. They believe they are the cause of family breakdowns.

But sometimes the most difficult situation is when their own family members tell children to be quiet: “I’ve been told quite a few times when a child needs help that he’s so afraid of have some because it will tear. family apart. “My mother told me that if I tell anyone, I will cause a family breakdown and I don’t really want that to happen.” This pressure is put on them,” says Megan.

She learned from talking to young people that they often pick up small details in their environment, like a look or a sound. “Children see and experience things very differently. Sometimes, as adults, we tend not to see the little things, they can overwhelm us. But children capture everything. They are very intuitive. As adults, I think we sometimes lose that sense of the small detail. Once I had a child who told me about the fridge ticking. She said it was the only sound that would help her fall asleep. Her parents were out late and she had to take care of her younger siblings. This sound would help him fall asleep in an otherwise quiet house.

On why she chose to volunteer, Megan says it’s a privilege.

“To hear the little details they might share, when no one else is there to listen. If there’s one thing I would say to parents, it’s that kids will show you they have problems rather than telling you.

“Spend time with your children and get to know them. If a child wants to talk, they are unlikely to say so, they will let you know in another way. They could withdraw or act. They might not enjoy the things they used to do. But above all, listen. There is nothing better a parent can do for their child. »

Childline can be contacted by any child by calling 1800 66 66 66, texting 50101 or chat online at Childline.ie 24 hours a day. The ISPCC helpline can be contacted by email at [email protected] or between 9am and 1pm Monday to Friday by calling 01 522 4300. To make a donation, call 0818 50 40 50.

True Stories: ‘Orla was so concerned about her image that she used her mask to hide her face’

Orla
Orla (14) faced challenges, which made her feel like she preferred to stay in her room and shut herself off from the world. She had been bullied at school and worried about her body image and feared how others saw her, so she used her mask to hide her face.
Our Children’s Therapeutic Support Services worker helped Orla explore how she was feeling and what resources she could tap into to empower her to build resilience and have more positive self-esteem. During six months of individual support sessions, Orla began to see things from a new perspective.

alexander
Alex (15) chatted online with the Childline helpline when he felt confused, frustrated and lonely as he struggled to come to terms with his identity. He was bisexual and hadn’t talked about it.
He was unsure how to approach it with his friends and he felt uncomfortable at home, as his parents expressed hostile views towards LGBTI+ people.
When he spoke to us, Alex told us that he felt overwhelmed with the thoughts running through his mind.
The Childline volunteer who spoke with Alex told him that we would be there to listen, no matter what. He could take the time to get to know himself and embrace his identity and didn’t need to have all the answers now. We also referred Alex to local resources in his area specifically for LGBTI+ youth, which could support him further.

Noemie
An accumulation of challenges had left Naomi (15) completely hopeless. She felt that she couldn’t find the strength to continue. His mother no longer lived at home, after a period of fighting with his alcoholic father.
Naomi felt like she had to take on responsibilities beyond her years and now she felt like she had no one to talk to. She told us she had nothing to look forward to and had trouble sleeping and concentrating.
Childline was there to listen to Naomi and provide her with a safe space where she could share what she really felt. She spoke to us again several times afterward and we let her know that we would always be there for her, whenever she felt she needed support.