Phone aid for children

Press, 4 March 1982, Page 6

Phone aid for children

A telephone counselling service . for children, modelled on similar ones overseas, will begin in Christchurch later this year. “Child Helpline” is the joint project of Professor P. G. Ney, professor of psychological . medicine at the Christchurch Clinical School, and “Parentline,” an existing telephone counselling service for parents. People who relate well to children are being sought as voluntary . counsellors, but they do not have to be parents themselves. They will be given special instruction on how to deal with calls from children with problems .such as violent parents. Professor Ney believes this will be the first such scheme in New Zealand, and is pleased that Christchurch

is pioneering it. He feels the service will bring to light 25 per cent more children with problems than are already known about.

In countries such as the United States, registers had been established of parents who abused their children, but there were still youngsters that authorities did not know about. A “Child Helpline” service gave these children the chance to come forward on their own behalf, said Professor Ney.

“The sooner we know about the child’s problems, the quicker we can get in there, and the better the results,” he said. The service would be confidential, and it was hoped the end result would be bringing the child and parents together for counselling as a family. “Children do not

need to fear anything. All their calls will be taken seriously.” he said.'

“Parentline” itself is moving ahead. Set up by the Coordinating Organisation for Parent Education (C.0.P.E.) in August, 1979, the service moved last month to new headquarters in Wordsworth Street, Sydenham. The premises are rented from the Ministry of Works and Development, and many firms and individuals have given furniture, carpets, and other goods. Before the move, people telephoning “Parentline” had to go first through the “Lifeline” service. Now, “Parentline” is based in one place, and callers can dial the service direct. The building will also house "Child Helpline,” and C.O.P.E. equipment.

“Parentline” was getting an average of three calls a day, said the chairperson of C.0.P.E., Mrs Anne Marshall. These are referred to the service’s trained voluntary counsellors,- and if necessary from there to more specialised agencies. Parents seeking help may not be able to cope or understand the ages and stages of their children. The service aimed to share the tricks of the parenting trade, said Mrs Marshall.

A new training course for counsellors, run in conjunction with the Workers’ Educational Association, will start on April 19. It will be held one day a week for 10 weeks, and already 15 people have applied to take part. A total of about 30 are wanted, and applicants must be parents. ■