THE IRISH Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children said it may have to shut down its Childline service after 22 years, due to lack of funds.
The number of calls made to Childline increased by more than 52,000 to 837,551 last year. However, more than one-third of these calls went unanswered, the charity said.
Speaking in advance of a new advertising campaign, director of services Caroline O’Sullivan said the society’s reserves were almost expended and it was in urgent need of funds to continue operating Childline.
“Childline receives no Government funding and it costs €4 million a year to operate the service. I don’t think we’ll be able to manage for much longer. Our reserves are nearly gone. Childline may not be around in the next year or two.”
The society had reduced its costs and Childline was operated almost solely by volunteers. However, the demand for its services was increasing each year while donations were falling.
In 2007 the charity raised €5,047,458, but in 2008 that dropped to €4,585,633. There was a further drop in contributions in 2009, to €4,563,018. While the figures for funds raised in 2010 have yet to be finalised, the society is expecting to record a fall of 4 per cent in donations.
“We understand that people are struggling with money, but we are receiving 2,300 calls, texts and e-mails a day from children. That’s quite a severe statistic,” Ms O’Sullivan said.
The lack of funds meant the society was finding it difficult to plan ahead as it was spending what it received month to month, she said.
“What would really help would be if more people could give a regular donation. We know we’re asking a lot of people who may have nothing to give, but even a €2 regular donation would help us to keep the service going.”
The charity was particularly concerned that the level of calls in relation to abuse and violence remained high at 13 per cent by phone and 9 per cent by text and online last year, Ms O’Sullivan said.
Mental health problems and concerns accounted for 8 per cent of phone calls and 15 per cent of online contacts, while issues around relationships with family or peers accounted for 8 per cent of calls and 19 per cent of online interaction. Phone calls still make up the bulk of appeals to Childline. Last year there were 27,710 texts, e-mails and webchats with children.
A spokeswoman for Minister for Children Frances Fitzgerald yesterday said the Minister was “seriously concerned” about the difficulties facing the charity and the children who relied on its services.
She said she was mindful of the pressures placed by the shortage of resources facing all groups supporting children.
