Telephone Counselling Service Releases Data On NZ Children’s Problems

29 April 2002

The free, national counselling service for New Zealand children – What’s Up – today released caller data for its first few months of service.

Since opening last September, What’s Up has received more than 169,000 calls from children and young people.

Executive Director of What’s Up, Grant Taylor, says the figures represent a desire by young New Zealanders to acknowledge their concerns and to seek professional help.

"The majority of calls received from young people focus on family and friends - a consistent trend that shows very clearly the importance of these relationships in the lives of children and young people," he said.

Of crucial importance, he said, What’s Up data also revealed younger children are keen to access help though a professional telephone counselling service. The average age of callers is 11 years and 59% are 12 years or younger.

Mr Taylor said one of What’s Up’s key objectives is to provide an early intervention service, giving support and teaching self-help and problem-solving skills to younger children before they encounter the demands of adolescence.

Another important and unique aspect of the service is that young people are able to reconnect with the same counsellor at a pre-determined date and time.

"The opportunity we provide for the development of an ongoing counselling relationship with easy telephone access and client-friendly hours is of real value," he said. "About 64% of our calls are now from callers who have spoken to us before. Many of our clients with significant mental health or behavioural problems are developing strong therapeutic relationships with specific counsellors. They make contact regularly and work in a progressive way on often quite complex issues."

Mr Taylor said What’s Up provided crucial support,and guidance "literally keeping some young people alive during times of despair, loneliness and crisis".

NZ Children’s Problems

Bullying is the most common reason children younger than 12 years of age call.

"The fact children realise bullying is not OK and seek ways to deal with it is heartening," he said.Mr Taylor noted that concerns about pregnancy alone accounted for 8% of the calls from the 13 to 18 age group.

"Both boys and girls call, often not knowing what to do when faced with pregnancy.

"Many (28%) call after receiving an abusive response or state that they are afraid of how their parents or caregivers will respond. Callers have told us they are afraid of being beaten up for being pregnant, that they can’t talk to parents who drink a lot, that they will be evicted from home as their older sibling was on becoming pregnant, that they are dealing with miscarriage alone without any family knowing they are pregnant, and so on."

Mr Taylor said it was especially critical for teenagers who are pregnant to receive support and that they are not isolated, punished or condemned.

"What’s Up counsellors, who are professionally trained, commonly explore with these young people how to share their situation with a caring and responsible adult in their immediate environment. We discuss with them other sources of professional support and information such as the Family Planning Association and their GPs. The opportunity to be able to speak confidentially and anonymously with one of our counsellors at a time that suits the caller is of great benefit."

Mr Taylor believes the confidence children and young people have in using What’s Up is evidence of the high quality and commitment of its counsellors.

"I have over 20 years of experience as a practicing clinical psychologist and I am enormously impressed with the quality of help What’s Up counsellors provide," said Mr Taylor.

What’s Up's toll free number is 0800 WHATSUP (0800 942 8787). Counsellors are available from noon to midnight, seven days a week.