What’s Up Helpline Extends Hours to Help More Kiwi Kids

0800 What’s Up helpline is extending its hours to help more Kiwi kids

Barnardos’ 0800 What’s Up kids helpline is extending its hours from 1 September. “The extended hours each day mean that we can answer over 120 calls per week that otherwise would’ve gone unanswered”, says Karen Billings, Operations Manager 0800 What’s Up.

0800 What’s Up (0800 942 8787) new hours are 12 midday to 11pm, Monday to Friday and 3pm to 11pm, Saturday and Sunday.

This change is in direct response to the recent ‘Break the Silence’ series on youth suicide in the NZ Herald. Last year, What’s Up counsellors answered 45,000 calls from children and young people, some callers as young as 5 years old. Almost 400 of those children spoke about deliberate self-harm, and approximately 1,200 spoke to us about bullying.

“Our experience working with children and young people tells us the powerful impact it can make for a child to know that they have someone they can talk to about anything. They can see a way forward with a sense of hope and purpose if they can openly talk about the problems they’re facing. This is why we are doing all we can to have someone on the other line when these desperate kids and young people call to get help.”

Our current funding allows the hours be extended until 11pm until 31 December 2017. We urgently need to find more financial support so we can continue these hours into 2018.” An increase in funding for this service would enable us to reach more Kiwi kids to help and support them in ways which can be life-changing and save lives.”

ENDS

About What’s Up

Barnardos 0800 What’s Up Child and Youth Helpline, our helpline for children aged 5-18 is our service where we are most regularly dealing with these issues. The helpline is free, staffed by professional counsellors, and children and young people can access it via phone and online chat. Through 0800 What’s Up, we work with children and young people – including tamariki and rangatahi Māori – who have or are experiencing suicidal thoughts or fears, who are planning suicide, or who have attempted or are attempting suicide

Our phone line opens from 12pm-11pm Monday-Friday and 3pm-11pm on weekends.

www.whatsup.co.nz

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