8 October 2004

Children’s Telephone Help Line Expands Counselling Hours

What’s Up, the free nationwide telephone counselling service for young people, resumes its 12-hour a day service from Saturday, 9 October.

Anyone aged between five and 18 years can ring from midday to midnight, seven days a week, to talk to a professional counsellor. Callers are welcome to ring for any reason and all calls are confidential.

“It’s great to be more available for the hundreds of children and young people who call What’s Up every day,” says What’s Up Executive Director, Grant Taylor. “The Office of the Commissioner for Children recently noted the need for more, accessible services for this age group. The increase in our hours means that we will be able to answer an additional 700 calls every week, which is great news for kids who need to get help.”

The Kid’s Help Foundation Trust – which set up the telephone counselling service three years ago – has been able to increase counselling staff and telephone hours thanks to a package, put together by the Trust, Child Youth and Family, Barnardos, and major sponsors Kellogg’s, Griffin’s and White Pages®.

Young people aged between 5 and 18 can call What’s Up on 0800 WHATSUP (0800 942 8787) any day between noon and midnight.

ENDS

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