This Bullying Free Week (13-17 May), Barnardos’ 0800 What’s Up helpline will be open from 9am to 11am each day especially for caregivers and parents who are concerned about their tamariki and rangatahi ̶ parents like mum Carol who rang the helpline because she was worried about her 17-year-old son, Simon. He attends an all-boys school and is being constantly bullied there, has no friends, is very unhappy, lives with ADHD, and has expressed suicidal thoughts. Simon also works part-time and is experiencing bullying at his workplace too.

Carol is protective and caring, supportive, and aware of the difficulties her son is up against due to his ADHD and how cruel his peers have been towards him for most of his life, but she needs support for how best to help him. She called 0800 What’s Up seeking options she may not have considered. She spoke of being heartbroken at how lonely her son is because of the ongoing, daily bullying and how this is affecting him. She feels it would be easiest to pull her son out of school, but he wants to complete his final year before going to university.

Simon has clearly demonstrated his need to continue at school and what is best for him in the long run. The What’s Up counsellor suggested to Carol that her son contact What’s Up directly and she said she would encourage him to contact our trained counsellors for whom no problem is too big or too small. Carol was relieved that such a service was available, especially the regular support from the same counsellor, which is unique to 0800 What’s Up. She felt this would benefit her son greatly and empower him to build up his confidence and skills for making friends, and develop his resilience for coping with the bullying.

Get support for bullying

Carol and Simon are far from being alone in their situation – 42% of all calls and chats 0800 What’s Up received in the past year related to emotional and psychological issues, which included problems related to anger, grief and loss, loneliness, deliberate self-harm, mental health, and suicide.

Barnardos is seeing first-hand the increased anxiety in children and young people across all our frontline services. What’s Up is part of the continuum of services that Barnardos provides to support children, young people, and their whānau.

Barnardos’ counselling service is the only helpline and online chat service in Aotearoa for tamariki and rangatahi aged 5 to 19 years old. It’s free, confidential, and available 7 days a week from 11am to 11pm. Tamariki, rangatahi, and their caregivers can talk to a counsellor on 0800 942 8787 or chat online at whatsup.co.nz.

Free helpline open especially for caregivers this Bullying Free Week