Working with Relaf in The Americas and The Caribbean: child helplines and their role promoting children s rights RELAF SEMINAR 2010 Nenita La Rose Executive Director CHI Magdalena Aguilar Programme Manager for the Americas and Caribbean Saturday 4 September 2010
Case Study What you are telling is very severe! Your mother should trust you and help you. Is she at home right now? Yes, and my brother is also at home Please stay where you are. I will contact someone who I trust to come to your house if you want to. This person can help you and your family with this. This person can bring you to a save place. Do you want me to send someone? I m not sure. But I do not want this to continue. Are you sure I can trust that person? Yes, very sure In that case, yes, please send someone. I want to end this. I no longer want to suffer like this.
Child Helplines HELPING CHILDREN TO HELP THEMSELVES Empowering children to take action on their own behalf Sri Lanka Happy Sad Boxes
What is a child helpline? A child helpline is a phone and outreach service for children: 1.Easy to Access toll-free, nationally accessible, easy to remember 3 or 4 digit number 2. Focus on child rights, including child participation 3. Links children to resources and emergency assistance 4. Different methods of communication phone, online, boxes, post, caravans, radio, etc
Operations of a child helpline Operations of a child helpline Methods of communication Call/contact response strategies Outreach and awareness Telephone contacts In-person contacts Enabling, Counselling, Referral and intervention Raising awareness about the helpline Web-based contacts Other contacts Outreach in schools, communities, on streets etc.
Child Helpline International (CHI) Child Helpline International Child Helpline International is the global member network of child helplines
Child Helpline International (CHI) CHI s mission To respond to children in need of care and protection and voice their concerns to policy and decisionmakers
Child Helpline International (CHI Child Helpline International has three main tasks: Build new child helplines Provide quality standards and training to child helplines to improve their services Advocate on behalf of children at all levels (national, regional and international
CHI s network The network continues to grow September 2003: 47 child helplines August 2010: 109 full members and 29 associate members August 2010: 24 full members and 7 associate members in the Americas and Caribbean
Child Helpline International (CHI) International reports, statements and Memoranda of Understanding - United Nations Violence Against Children Study (UNVAC) - World Summit on the Information Society, Tunis Agenda - World Congress III Against Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents: Rio Declaration - Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse - Convention on the Rights of the Child Committee: Concluding Observations - League of Arab States (LAS) - Telecom Sans Frontieres - Relaf
CHI and Relaf MoU Relaf- CHI signed in November2009 The objetive is to carry out activities that will enable CHI and Relaf to fultil the objectives as set forth in each oragnisation s respective mission statements. Of special importance to both organisation s is the promotion of the right to community- and family- based care in the Americas and Caribbean, as well as the right of children and youth to be heard and their opinion being heard and considered.
CHI in the Americas and Caribbean Country Antigua and Barbuda Friends Hotline Argentina Línea 102 Aruba Brazil Canada Chile Colombia Costa Rica Curacao Dominican Republic Mexico Paraguay Peru Saint Martin Telefon Pa Hubentud Alo123! Kids Help Phone Fono Infancia Corpolatin Child Helpline Línea Cuenta Conmigo Kindersbersrming Curacao INDESUI Casa Alianza Fono Ayuda Fundación Anar Suriname KJT 123 Trinidad and Tobago United States Uruguay Positive Connection ChildLine Boys Town, California Youth Crisis Line, Child Abuse Hotline, Covenant Houseline, National Runaway Swithboard, Stop it Now!, 2nd Floor Línea Azul Full members Fu
CHI in the Americas and Caribbean Associate members Country Organisation Bolivia Brazil Ecuador El Salvador Guatemala Jamaica Educatic Safernet Consejo Nacional de Niños, Niñas y Adolescentes Teléfono Amigo Procuraduría de Derechos Humanos Friends Hotline Panamá Tú Línea 147 Total number of members in the region 24 full members 7 associate members
Keeping children safe from abuse Children contact child helplines for problems big and small. In 2009, child helplines around the world had more than 14 million contacts with children. Results are compiled and analysed in an annual publication called: Connecting to Children Abuse and violence consistently are among the most common reasons for contact Abuse and violence Subcategories Bullying Physical Sexual Emotional Neglect Domestic violence Witness to violence Total subcategories Americas and Caribbean (2009 data) no. 67.734 36.990 204.294 181.492 56.442 54.142 201.727 833.242
Connecting to Children: 2009 data on family related issues Family relationships: reasons why children contact child helplines in the Americas and Caribbean (2009) Reasons for contacts 2009 Adoption issues 5.467 Bereavement 8.579 Child custody and access 51.583 Divorced/separated parents/parents in conflict 43.453 Maintenance and child support 41.703 New family/blended family 790 Parent/child relationships 146.154 Parents with addiction and/or mental health problems 16.436 Sibling relationship 43.363 Unspecified and other 46.877 TOTAL 404.405
MUCHAS GRACIAS POR SU ATENCION! Muito obrigado! Nenita La Rose, CHI nenita@childhelplineinternational.org Magdalena Aguilar magdalena@childhelplineinternational.org