NSPCC urges young people to talk about their feelings as major new developments to ChildLine service are announced

THE NSPCC is highlighting the importance of children talking about their feelings as it announces major new developments to its ChildLine service.  These developments come as an online poll of more than 1,000 11 to 16 year olds in the UK revealed that 1 in 3 children said they felt either sad, depressed, lonely, worried, stressed, scared or angry most of the time. The majority of these said they turn to their parents or friends for help when they feel like this, but ChildLine call figures indicate that not all children are lucky enough to have a strong support network.

At ChildLine Liverpool, last year, in 2008/09, 100 young people were counselled by volunteers about family relationship problems and another 17 spoke to counsellors about problems with friends. (1,091 calls in total 1 April 2008 - 31 March 2009.)

As ever, young people can continue to call ChildLine on 0800 1111, but now young people can receive more information and support via the website.  Children can now make contact with ChildLine through email, message boards or 1-to-1 chats with counsellors.

By developing the new tools and channels of communication online, ChildLine is encouraging even more young people to talk about their feelings. Online creative tools allow young people to explore their feelings, and there are also games, videos and a mood tracker to help young people evaluate how they are feeling over a period of time.

Sir Cliff Richard found out more about the ChildLine when he visited the Liverpool Hargreaves Centre recently. He said:- “I’m proud to support the NSPCC because they do fantastic work in making sure that vulnerable kids are protected from abuse. I was incredibly impressed when I first heard about the exciting new developments being made to the ChildLine service. It means ChildLine will be there for many more children when they have a worry and they will be able to choose for themselves about how they want to get in touch.”  He added:- “I have always believed that It is important that all children have someone to turn to and have access help and support whenever they need it. This is why I would encourage people to support the charity in anyway they can to help ensure every child gets the help they need 24 hours a day.”

Lee Mitchell, Assistant Director for ChildLine, said:- “While many children are happy most of the time, it is important that they have a strong network of family and friends to offer them support when they do have problems. Some children aren’t lucky enough to have this support, or find it difficult to talk about their feelings, so can end up suffering in silence. ChildLine provides trusted and confidential support for those children who feel isolated, and now, thanks to government funding and public support, we have been able to develop the service to do it in the way that suits them best. "

One girl called the Liverpool ChildLine base because she had an argument with her parents and felt low and upset. She felt she couldn't talk to her friends because they have their own problems.

James of the ChildLine young person's group said:- "If something is stressing you out it doesn't necessarily have to build up - as long as you can talk about it to someone. If a friend of mine was really worried about something and didn't know who to turn to, I'd definitely tell them to ring ChildLine on 0800 11 11 or to use the website, whatever they feel best. It's great that now there's more choice in how you can contact ChildLine if you need help.”

PERSONALISED BUDGETS LEAVE VULNERABLE ADULTS EXPOSED SAY SOCIAL WORKERS

VULNERABLE adults may be put at risk and vital services lost to the elderly, following the roll out of personalised budgets in social care, warned UNISON, the UK’s largest public sector union.  

A survey of adult social workers, carried out by the union, has revealed fears that “cash for care budgets” will lead to an increase in safeguarding cases. Some 62% of social workers believe that systems for safeguarding vulnerable adults have been improving over the last 5 years, but they fear that cash for care arrangements could turn the clock back on the progress that has been made.  Abusers could target people on personal budgets, as they have a steady supply of ready cash, and with cuts in the number of social workers and increased bureaucracy, this abuse could go undetected. In addition, they have very real concerns that local authorities could simply hand over responsibility to individuals and stop providing services. This will have tough implications for people who depend on them for care now and in the future.

Helga Pile, UNISON National Officer for Social Services, said:- “Social workers are the ones at the sharp end, working with people who depend on local authorities daily for care. It is vital that their concerns about personal budgets are taken seriously. They know that whilst the new system will work really well for some people, others need good reliable care, not cash.  Unless there is a rethink we could see thousands of individual people left to buy their care on an open market. We know that market isn’t producing good quality care even with the huge purchasing power that councils have. We fear that the cash-strapped funding environment in social care will make their budgets even tighter. That means the budgets they pass on to individuals will not be adequate to meet their assessed needs.  Private providers will still be keen to squeeze out a profit, leaving standards of care in freefall. The alternative is for people to negotiate the minefield of becoming an employer in their own right. Social workers fear this will result in an increase in the number of safeguarding vulnerable adult cases – or a ‘granny p’ tragedy waiting to happen.  Councils must tread carefully as they roll out personal budgets. They must resist the pressure from central government targets that only measure the numbers signed up, but not the quality of care and support they are getting. They must have staff with expertise who can spend the time with people to make sure they get what they need. If we want people to be able to choose care over cash, now and in the future, local authorities must continue to offer a full range of services to local residents, even where some people opt for cash instead.  If community facilities close, people who don’t want to or can’t turn themselves into an employer could have nowhere else to go, and we’re really worried about those who can’t rely on family and friends to step into the breach.”

Personal budgets in social care are a new system of administering social care, due to be rolled out across England by 2011. They build on the previous system of direct payments where people across the UK have been able to opt for cash instead of care services. The Government has recently announced targets for the number of people councils must get onto personal budgets by that time. The system is supposed to give people choices within a personal budget including ‘buying’ their own care, employing their own care staff or having a more tailored set of services arranged for them by the local authority.