A total of 28,400 calls were made to the National Child Helpline (at telephone number 116 111) under the State Agency for Child Protection in the past year 2022, the organization said. Reports of children at risk were 1,052, which is over 3% more than in 2021. Most of the reports were for physical and mental abuse of a child, followed by signals for neglect.
There were 7,700 consultations, more than half of which were with children. The tendency continued for children to seek and receive advice and support regarding communication, both with their peers and with the adults who care for them. Children between the ages of 14 and 17 most often seek out counselors on the help line. A 35% decrease in silent calls has also been observed over the past year.
The 2022 figures show that once again most children sought advice on how to interact with their peers, often describing bad attitude.
Last year, calls from mothers increased by 27.61%, while 5.2% fewer fathers sought the help line’s consultants. There was a drastic increase in calls from other institutions, with the increase being 54% from foreign medical personnel, 62% from educational institutions, and over 84% from the structures of the Interior Ministry.
Since 2009, the State Agency for Child Protection has been managing the National Children’s Helpline 116 111, which has the same number all throughout Europe. Through the line, children and adults who are concerned about them can be listened to, consulted and supported by professionals anonymously, free of charge, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
At the end of October 2022, the State Agency for Child Protection started informational meetings with students about the functioning of the National Children’s Helpline.
Since June 2021, the State Agency for Child Protection has been an official member of the global network of national telephone lines for children, Child Helpline International (CHI), which is represented in 139 countries and has 166 members.
