The latest data suggests one in six counselling contacts to Kids Helpline is suicide-related, and three-quarters come outside business hours.

yourtown CEO Tracy Adams said the national fundraising campaign was in response to the increasing number of young people seeking help late at night and in the early hours of the morning.

“We’re seeing a steady rise in children and young people reaching out when most other services are closed,” Ms Adams said.

“Kids Helpline is answering more than 130,000 contacts a year, but the demand for counselling support is growing. Right now, we can only respond to three in every five contacts.

“Some of the children we support are as young as five. We don’t want to see any child or young person needing support and not being able to get it – that’s a heartbreaking gap.”

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. It’s a vital safety net for those facing mental health challenges, bullying, abuse, family breakdown, or loneliness.

The Giving Day will take place on 24 July, reflecting the 24/7 nature of the service, which operates around the clock to support young people when they need it most.

“Our Giving Day is a chance for all in our community to say: we see you, we hear you, and we’ll show up for you,” Ms Adams said.

Alongside government funding and public donations, the Bupa Foundation has proudly contributed more than $3 million since 2019 to help Kids Helpline reach more young people.

Bupa APAC Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer Roger Sharp said the reality is that current funding, from all sources, isn’t enough to meet growing demand for Kids Helpline services.

“That’s why the Bupa Foundation will continue to provide funding support to Kids Helpline and why we’re encouraging everyone to support this vital campaign, so no child is left waiting for help when they need it most,” Mr Sharp said.

Kids Helpline counsellors conduct on average 89 crisis or safety interventions every week. Most of these happen after-hours, with 75 per cent of all contacts now occurring outside the traditional 9-to-5 window.

“Whether it’s 2am or 2pm during school hours, Kids Helpline is there — and your donation helps make sure no child in crisis goes unheard,” Ms Adams said.

Your gift makes a real difference:

·         $55 gives a counselling session to one child in need

·         $110 supports a young person through two or more critical moments

·         $550 supports a full day of critical responses, supporting multiple children and young people

Kids Helpline is funded by yourtown, with support from government/s, corporate and community donations. However, additional funding is needed to increase the capacity of the service to lift response rates. 

To donate or find out more information about the Kids Helpline Giving Day visit here

“Not only are the contacts increasing but the severity and complexity of their needs are too.

Children and young people are increasingly experiencing serious mental health concerns, including suicidal ideation or behaviour and self-harm,” Ms Adams said.

In support of this essential service, the Bupa Foundation has provided an additional donation of $100,000, bringing the Foundation’s total commitment to Kids Helpline to $1.45m over the past year.

Hisham El-Ansary, Bupa Asia Pacific CEO, said this extended funding would go towards addressing the immediate surge in demand experienced by Kids Helpline, while the Bupa Foundation continues to support longer term strategies to nurture the mental health and well-being of young Australians.

“Supporting the mental health of our young people has never been so important,” Mr El-Ansary said.

Some other key findings from Kids Helpline include:

• An 80% increase in contacts from 5–10-year old children
• 13–18-year olds represent the largest segment of contacts
• An increase of 200% in emergency interventions by Kids Helpline counsellors for children and young people in Victoria in the first six months of 2021
• An increase of 40% in emergency interventions by Kids Helpline counsellors for children and young people in New South Wales in the first six months of 2021

Bupa is encouraging its customers, its people and the general public to support Kids Helpline by donating here if they are in a position to do so.

To help parents look after the mental health of their children, Kids Helpline Counsellor, Amanda Grehan has the shared following tips:

1. Be aware of your own feelings (as children can pick up on these) and make sure you are looking after your own wellbeing as a parent
2. Be curious and ask questions about their thoughts and feelings (don’t make assumptions as these might be wrong, e.g. some children may enjoy aspects of lockdown)
3. Invite questions and answer as simply and honestly as possible – it’s ok to say, “I don’t know – let’s find out the answer to this together!”
4. Problem-solve together – we can’t make Covid-19 go away, but we can find creative solutions to other problems, e.g. “Your soccer game was cancelled due to lockdown – why don’t we have a fun family match in the backyard?”
5. Switch off and take time out together – constant news about Covid-19 can be overwhelming, so it’s important to take a break and spend time together as a family

Additional resources are available via the Kids Helpline website.

Media reference number: 20/131

Tracy Adams, CEO of yourtown, the organisation that runs Kids Helpline, said the funding from the Bupa Health Foundation will allow Kids Helpline to extend the My Circle digital platform to support up to 10,000 young people over the next two years. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of young people connecting with others to improve their mental health.

“With My Circle, we have been able to provide a secure, modern social networking environment to young people to help them navigate challenges in their life. It’s a place where they can anonymously share their experiences, understand that they are not alone and learn how their peers have dealt with the same challenges. A qualified counsellor is available to provide extra support during all My Circles’ contacts,” Ms Adams said.

The My Circle platform was conceptualised and designed by The University of Sydney Cyberpsychology Research Group.

The additional funding will enable The University of Sydney to further evaluate the evidence-base of the My Circle platform and service and develop an innovative, cost-effective Digital Mental Health Practice Model that can be adopted by other organisations to support vulnerable groups.

Dr Andrew Campbell, Chair, Cyberpsychology Research Group, The University of Sydney, said the development of an evidence-based, mental health specific social network for young people was long overdue.

 “Young people with lived experiences of mental health concerns often prefer to seek help and management using tools they’re familiar with, like social networking platforms, but need to be assured that their privacy is being protected and they are receiving qualified counsellor advice. My Circles is the first custom designed and evidence-based social network platform to achieve this,” Dr Campbell said.

Hisham El-Ansary, Bupa ANZ CEO, said this support is an extension of Bupa’s ongoing commitment to improve the mental wellbeing of Australia’s young people.

“We know this is a critical time for mental health support to the Australian community as we deal with the aftermath of the tragic bushfires and continue to face the COVID-19 pandemic,” Mr El-Ansary said.

“Over the past three months, contacts to Kids Helpline have increased by 29 per cent. This means young Australians are reaching out for help and we are committed to providing Kids Helpline with appropriate funding to give them the support they need.

“This latest funding is in addition to the more than $33 million the Bupa Health Foundation has invested in focused health research, including $5.4 million towards improving mental health outcomes, since 2005,” Mr El-Ansary added.

The Bupa Health Foundation will also contribute close to $800,000 to Macquarie University and Edith Cowan University for projects that target early intervention to improve the emotional wellbeing of children in schools. Read more here.

Media reference number: 20/082

Each episode features a real-life story from a parent, with Kids Helpline counsellor Leo providing expert insight and advice.

Find Mumbles, and more resources for connecting families here. Or search Mumbles in your favourite podcast platform.

14^th Jan - Episode One: The impact of bullying

Bullying is awful, no matter what the circumstances. So, what happens when it goes so far that your child has to move schools? Renee shares her heartfelt story in our very first episode.

21^st Jan - Episode Two: Struggles with everyday anxiety

What’s it really like dealing with anxiety at a young age? Debbie shares how she responded to her daughter’s fears and helped her to move to a place of feeling more confident and in control.

29^th Jan - Episode Three: Social anxiety and withdrawal

Starting high school can be a stressful time, especially for young people struggling with anxiety. Rachel shares her story of how she has supported her daughter through social situations, and helped her build better coping strategies.

4^th Feb - Episode Four: Family life with ADHD

What’s it like to have multiple children with ADHD? Ruth shares how she supports her three boys, who all have various types of ADHD. It’s a wonderful story of understanding, adapting and growing together.

11^th Feb - Episode Five: Teens and social media

How do you support teens who have a history of trauma and an addiction to their smartphones? Carlie shares her deeply personal story that’s highly relatable in today’s tech-savvy world.

More information:

For information on the Kids Helpline @ School Wellbeing program and to register your interest click here.

Kids Helpline is Australia’s only free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25 – call 1800 55 1800 or visit kidshelpline.com.au.