Kids Helpline and youth services provider yourtown has called on all levels of government to prioritise children’s mental health by boosting funding support to the service.
With National Child Protection Week running from Sunday, September 4 to Saturday, September 10, yourtown advocacy and research head Kathryn Mandla said the service had almost 200 counsellors available at no charge 24 hours a day.
“Kids Helpline shares a commitment to the safety and wellbeing of young people and the prioritisation of the needs of vulnerable young people through our invisible safety-net, in the form of a free 24/7 counselling service for children and young people aged five to 25 years of age,” she said.
“Every child in every community needs a fair go.
“To understand the complexity of child abuse and neglect, we need to work together to prevent it.”
Ms Mandla said emergency intervention assistance was required on average 16 times a day in 2021.
“What we are trying to do, with Child Protection Week is to call on all governments to work with us and other counselling and support services to work collaboratively to support children and young people when they need it, as part of a ‘no wrong door’ policy,” she said.
“In this way, every door in the mental health care system should provide access to the services needed.
“Greater digital access to support the experience of help-seeking by leveraging new technology solutions is a clear opportunity for Kids Helpline.”
yourtown is a trusted provider of services for young people, with a focus on mental health and wellbeing, long term unemployment, prevention of youth suicide, child protection, as well as support for those experiencing family and domestic violence.
Details: kidshelpline.com.au or 1800 55 1800
