Kidsline merges with Barnardos 0800 What’s Up, creating Aotearoa’s only dedicated children’s helpline

Child-centred helpline Kidsline has joined Barnardos, complementing its existing 0800 What’s Up telephone counselling and webchat service. As a result, Barnardos 0800 What’s Up is now Aotearoa’s only national children’s helpline, providing an essential service to children and young people who need a safe place to talk with a trained counsellor.

“Children and young people are the taonga of our country”, says Barnardos Chief Executive Mike Munnelly. “We know that child and youth mental health in Aotearoa is not thriving as it should be. The impacts of COVID-19 are deepening this country’s youth mental health crisis, and a national children’s helpline is a key way to help ensure every child has someone there to listen, to get alongside them, and help them in the tough times. Our trained specialist child counsellors look forward to welcoming Kidsline callers in a way that is mana-enhancing and meets their needs”, Mr Munnelly says.

“We are thankful to Presbyterian Support Northern (PSN) for entrusting the Kidsline service to us”, says Mr Munnelly. “Barnardos has been pleased to work together collaboratively with PSN and Kidsline kaimahi to support the merge, keeping children and teens at the heart of the approach, and we look forward to working with Kidsline supporters.”

PSN Chief Executive Denise Cosgrove says that Barnardos and the Kidsline mission have a lot in common, and it is important to honour the mahi of the Kidsline mission in the merger. “We share the same values and want to ensure our tamariki and rangitahi are well supported, especially in these uncertain times. In joining the Barnardos whānau, the Kidsline team of buddies (volunteers) will be able to do even more good in their communities through contributing in new ways, including through the Advocacy for children that Barnardos offers,” she said. Ms Cosgrove says it made sense for the two child-focused helplines to merge. “We know children often prefer chatting online to voice calls and for some time, 0800 Whats Up have provided a webchat service with child-focused specialists. The move means Kidsline callers will have more options to engage and ultimately it will help more children”, she said.

Ms Cosgrove says that “we know that Kidsline callers will find the support they need from 0800 What’s Up counsellors, who every day provide specialist support and a safe place for children and teenagers to talk about anything at all.”

In joining the Barnardos whānau, the Kidsline team of Buddies and Resource Team members will have opportunities to continue volunteering for their communities by contributing to Barnardos’ Advocacy mahi which influences systems-level change for children’s rights and needs, and to support Barnardos to ensure all children and teenagers in New Zealand know that 0800 What’s Up is freely available to them 7 days a week.