# NSPCC launches Call for Help campaign to handle increased December calls

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2014/11/20/nspcc-launches-call-hope-campaign-handle-increased-december-calls/
- Published: 2014-11-20T23:14:07+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

The NSPCC has today launched its Call for Help campaign to help its ChildLine service
respond to the anticipated rise in the volumes of calls from children and young 
people in December and over Christmas.

In December 2013 trained ChildLine counsellors carried out almost 23,000 counselling
sessions. The most common reason (13% of all sessions) for contacting ChildLine 
was family relationship issues, from worries relating to parents separating to wanting
to leave home after family arguments.

In the same month over 1,600 children and young people contacted ChildLine feeling
suicidal, a 38% increase on December 2012. Similarly there was a 36% increase in
counselling sessions on the subject of low self-esteem and unhappiness.

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Not surprisingly, for many, Christmas Day is a particularly difficult time. ChildLine
reported a 24% increase in the number of counselling sessions on Christmas Day 2013
compared to December 2012.

The [NSPCC Call for Help campaign](http://www.nspcc.org.uk/call) invites people 
to text HOPE to 70744 to donate £4.** It aims to raise £930,000**.

Director of ChildLine, Peter Liver, explained the reason behind the NSPCC’s Call
for Help appeal. He said:

> “This year, hundreds of ChildLine counsellors will be spending Christmas Day not
> with their families, but seeing the other side of the festive season. We’ll be
> talking to children and young people for whom Christmas can be a truly miserable
> time, listening to them, providing advice and support and being there for them
> when they can’t talk to anyone else about what they’re going through.
> “It’s no exaggeration to say that ChildLine really could be the difference between
> life and death for some children this Christmas”.

The NSPCC’s ChildLine service is free, confidential, and operates 24-hours a day,
and will be open throughout the festive season.

Texts cost £4 plus one standard network message charge, and you must have the bill
payers’ permission to use this service. The NSPCC expects to receive approximately
£3.99 per message depending on your network.

 

_Photography by Alex Hansen. The child pictured is a model. _

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