Increased child helpline capacity following Kaikoura quakes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

24 November 2016

Barnardos increases child helpline capacity following Kaikoura quakes

Barnardos service 0800 What’s Up, New Zealand’s most-accessed counselling helplines for children, has more counsellors available following the November 14 Kaikoura Earthquake and the resulting aftershocks.

The increase follows a number of young callers getting in touch because of the stress and anxiety they’d been feeling since the 7.8 magnitude shake.

“For children in the most affected areas, the trauma of living through such a life-changing event as the Kaikoura earthquake can really turn their lives upside down,” says 0800 What’s Up team leader Lesley Butler. “We’ve already had a number of young people call and chat online with us because they’re scared, having trouble sleeping and feeling uncertain about the future. Our counsellors are able to really help by listening and helping them through this difficult time.”

Helping young people in the aftermath of earthquakes is something the Barnardos team have plenty of experience with. The February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch saw a big increase in calls to 0800 What’s Up, with the earthquake becoming one of the most called-about issues for that year. Counsellors were still taking calls from youngsters two years after the event.

“We know that the effects of living through a large earthquake can last for some time,” says Lesley. “We want children to know that, if they need to talk to someone outside their friends and family, they can call us and speak to a trained counsellor who can support them and help them develop coping strategies to deal with any worries they may be having.”

For further information please contact Barnardos Operations Manager Karen Billings on 04 801 1677

About Barnardos New Zealand and 0800 What’s Up

Barnardos is New Zealand’s leading children’s charity, doing more for Kiwi kids We exist to provide care, education, protection and support for New Zealand children, and their whānau, including some of our nation’s most vulnerable. Our diverse range of social services and early education programmes enrich lives across the length and breadth of New Zealand.

0800 What's Up is our free, national phone counselling service for five- to 18-year-olds. Answering more than 40,000 calls and web chats a year, it’s the most accessed counselling service for children and young people in New Zealand.

Call 0800 WHATSUP (0800 942 8787) FREE from a mobile or landline Monday to Friday 1pm-10pm and Saturday and Sunday 3pm-10pm.

What’s Up Web Chat is available from 5pm-10pm seven days a week at www.whatsup.co.nz

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