Using child helplines to protect children from school violence

A new report published by Plan and Child Helpline International (CHI) reveals that violence and abuse in school is the number one reason why children contact a child helpline. The report uses data from helplines in four countries: Paraguay, Egypt, Zimbabwe and Sweden. Collating data collected across four countries, the report shows that child helplines are in a unique position to help fight violence and abuse in schools. They are often young people’s first contact with any kind of child protection services, serving as accessible gateways to a world of help and support. Child helplines allow children to reach out when they need it, in real time and directly, to speak with someone in a safe, trustworthy environment. In 2010 alone, child helplines in the CHI network received over 14 million contacts. An average child helpline receives ten calls per day, every day on violence and abuse. In schools incidents range from sexual violence, corporal punishment and verbal bullying. Plan and CHI are calling on governments globally to adopt the following recommendations: 1. Child helplines are a key element in tackling violence in children’s lives and must be established, strengthened, accessible and free to children globally; 2. Data collected from child helplines can inform, influence and create opinion on children’s rights issues and policies affecting children. Child helpline data should be used to inform policies affecting children; and 3. All those in positions of authority must be trained in how to prevent and report on school violence, as well as how to support affected children.