ChildLine reach out with SMS and the Web

Children suffering abuse will soon be able to contact the NSPCC’s ChildLine via text messages and the internet.

The NSPCC hope to reach more at-risk children by using the technologies that youngsters are more comfortable and familiar with using.

Help to expand the NSPCC services is coming from Microsoft in the shape of a £1.3m donation of software and services from Microsoft. Also included in the donation is space on the MSN homepage through which children will be able to contact ChildLine.

Helping hand

Although thousands of people contact the NSPCC via ChildLine every day the organisation still struggles to answer every call. Currently about 67% of calls get answered and just 40% of children who need counselling receive it.

“At the moment, we’ve got a real problem about not being able to reach every child who wants help,” said Dame Mary Marsh, director and chief executive of the NSPCC which took over ChildLine in 2006.

Dame Marsh said giving children the chance to contact ChildLine via text message and the net would help the majority who suffer cruelty or abuse at home.

NSPCC research suggests that 94% of sexual abuse cases reported to ChildLine in 2005/06 were committed by someone known to the child, and 59% of abusers were family members.

This, said Dame Marsh, often meant children had difficulty seeking help without being found out.

“They used to have to do it out in a telephone box or find a time when people weren’t about, but now they can do it from their bedroom,” said Dame Marsh.

“The vast majority of children and young people have access to PCs, whether it’s in school or in the local library or other community facilities,” she said. “And the availability of mobile phones is opening up that kind of access.”

The NSPCC hopes that a link to ChildLine on the MSN homepage will also help to reach children who may not be aware of how to get help. “MSN is so popular with young people. It’s a fantastic route in,” said Dame Marsh.

He said “We have seen that when we’ve used it during a humanitarian crisis, where we appeal during floods, tsunamis, earthquakes or hurricanes, we have a huge impact in actually being able to move people directly to the charities to donate.”