Helpline in times of pandemic
Between July and September 2020 the Helpline consultants answered around 19.7 thousand calls and received 2570 online messages. Almost 20% of these contacts took place during night shifts financed by the Kulczyk Foundation. The employees of the Empowering Children Foundation emphasize that a certain dependency is clear – calls in the evening hours and at night are the longest. However, the online help channel is the most popular among girls – they send more than 80% of messages to the team of the Helpline. In October 2020 the Helpline consultants answered another 5.1 thousand calls and wrote back to almost 900 messages.
Why do children contact the consultants? The ones who call late at night usually have the most serious problems. They get in touch because of suicidal thoughts, anxiety, fear, depression, low self-esteem and stress. During the pandemic these phenomena are increasing. In many cases children talk about the concern about their relatives, being lost, isolation, anxiety related to coming back to school. The danger of home violence is growing as well. The research conducted by the Empowering Children Foundation related to the spring lockdown shows that about 27% of children experienced some form of harm, and every tenth of them was a victim of physical or physiological violence.
In cases of direct danger of life or health for the people calling 116 111 Helpline the employees of the Empowering Children Foundation intervene by notifying competent services. Between July and September there were as many as 167. 74 interventions took place during the Helpline night shifts. Whereas in October there were another 63.
By the end of last year, the Kulczyk Foundation gave PLN 1.65 million to the Empowering Children Foundation. Thanks to these resources and funds from the fundraiser in the Internet by Szymon Hołownia, the 116 111 Helpline for Children and Youth can work 24/7 despite the lack of government funding. The Kulczyk Foundation supports the Empowering Children Foundation. We encourage also all our friends and supporters. You can donate the functioning of the 116 111 Helpline for Children and Youth on the website www.wspierajtelefon.pl.
