It’s been very busy in Cork': Calls to Childline soar over summer holidays

The Childline team has reported an increase of 24% in calls relating to physical abuse, and of 10% relating to sexual abuse, this summer.

The national service, which has three phone units — in Cork, Dublin, and Drogheda — has received more than 100 calls about abuse since the beginning of the school summer holidays.

Staff and volunteers across the country have reported that sexual abuse contacts have increased by 10%, while reports of physical abuse have risen by 24%.

Aoife Griffin, who is the Cork-based services manager for the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, told The Echo that such a significant increase in calls relating to abuse is something that “raised a flag” with the phone-unit teams.

“It’s been very busy in Cork — it’s always hard to know if it’ll be quiet or busy during the summertime, but we have definitely seen an increase in calls this year,” said Ms Griffin.

“There’s a perception that summer is a happy time, and that kids are loving being free from the constraints of school; but for us, what we’ve seen over the last few weeks is that it’s a time when there’s an increase in domestic violence in the home.”

“Addiction doesn’t take a summer holiday, so all the problems that are there all year round are exacerbated,” she added.

“The 24% increase in calls relating to physical abuse is something that raised a flag with us.

“It’s quite an increase.

“I work in the therapeutic side of the service, on the ground in Cork, and we’ve definitely seen that, this summer, the referrals just keep coming.”

“We all know there’s waiting lists for CAMHS [Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services], and that Tusla [the child and family agency] are hitting over 90,000 referrals this year, so there’s definitely a strain on services.”

“We’ve also seen an increase in calls relating to low mood, self-harm, and suicidal ideations in the last week, and as the summer goes on, that’ll only get worse.”

Ms Griffin further urged anyone who would be in a position to donate or volunteer to get in contact with the service.

“What would help us is funding, to be able to answer as many calls as possible,” she said.

“We’re always looking for volunteers to come join us too, to keep our units open.

“The call to the general public would be to donate if you can, or to host a fundraiser — that would really keep us going.”

For further information on ISPCC services, or to donate to Childline, visit www.ispcc.ie/