You don't have to do it alone

The welfare of children is everyone's business. But sometimes doing the right thing is hard. The good news is that help is only a phone call away. You may be a young person in danger, a parent or caregiver having trouble coping or someone who knows of an adult whose behaviour is threatening the safety of a child.

Children and young people

Look on page 32 of your phone book anywhere in New Zealand. Some of the helplines especially for children and young people are:

What's Up?

12 noon to 12 midnight. 0800 WHATS UP (942 8787). Children and young people talk to a trained counsellor.

Kidsline

4 to 6 pm weekdays. 0800KIDSLINE (buddy) 0800KIDSLINE (adult). Children and young people 9 to 13 talk to a young person or adult if they choose. After hours callers can choose to talk to a 24-hour Lifeline counsellor.

Child Helpline

9 am to 7.30 pm weekdays. (03) 366 6944 2 pm to 4 pm weekends.

Youthline

Youth Helpline, freephone 11 am to 11 pm 0800 37 66 33. Young people talk to a trained person; e-mail

youthline@youthline.co.nz

.

There are 60 social workers in primary and intermediate schools around the country. You can also talk to your school counsellor or teacher.

Adults

Look on page 32 of the phone book. Some of the helplines are:

Child Abuse Prevention Service

0800 ABUSE PREVENT 0800 228 737.

Plunket Line

0800 933 922.

Child Youth and Family

0508 FAMILY 0508 326 459.

Mensline

seven days 5.30 pm to 11 pm, 0800 MENSLINE (522 2500).

Chinese Lifeline

Monday to Friday 10 am to 2 pm; Monday to Thursday 7 pm to 10 pm 0800 888 880. Mandarin and Cantonese speaking.

Women's Refuge

24-hour crisis line, Auckland 378 1893.

Domestic Violence Centre

24-hour crisis line, Auckland 303 3939.

Hamilton Abuse Intervention Project (HAIP)

24-hour crisis line, Hamilton 834 3452.

HELP Foundation

(sexual assault) 24-hour crisis line, Auckland 623 1700.

Other services

Perhaps you don't need immediate help but want more information or simply advice. The services in your community are listed on page 32 of your phone book or you can call:

Citizens Advice Bureau

0800 FOR CAB

Barnardos

0800 PARENT (0800 47 27 368)

Relationship Services

0800 RELATE (0800 735 283)

The support line will operate for 24 hours following tonight's screening of

Questions 2: Killing Tomorrow

, at 8.30 on TV3.

Ring 0800 222 465. The information line is 0800 502 512.

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Building Tomorrow - paths to prevent child abuse