Child helplines dedicated to children are invaluable. They provide a safe space where children can speak to trained counsellors, without judgment, about their concerns and a wide range of issues.
Critically, they offer a lifeline to abused children seeking help and rescue. Trained call counsellors can also provide guidance on various issues, including family problems, peer relationships, and psychosocial health. Additionally, they generate data that can inform policy and practice.
The 15999 Childline was started in 2010 by the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry with the aid of the Childline Foundation, Malaysia. This first child helpline was a free, 24-hour service for children, manned by trained staff, and was known as the Talian Nur hotline for children.
In 2015, it was redesigned as Talian Kasih, which has a much broader scope, covering abuse, domestic violence, juvenile problems, poverty, single mothers, persons with disabilities, welfare assistance, counselling services, and more. One positive aspect of the current Talian Kasih is the availability of a WhatsApp number, enabling those who are deaf to express their concerns.
While Talian Kasih plays an important role, it dilutes the support children require. A line not dedicated to children results in a larger volume of calls to manage, and staff needing training in many different areas, some of whom may lack the expertise required to support children.
There have been calls in the past by the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) and the Child Rights Coalition Malaysia to restore the functions of the Talian Nur child helpline as a dedicated line to ensure children’s safety. The absence of a dedicated child helpline has prompted other civil society organisations to start helplines for children and young people, such as the Buddy Bear Childline.
To improve the quality of civil service helplines, Malaysia should establish two separate lines – one general helpline for welfare needs and adult issues, and another dedicated to children.
A dedicated helpline for children and teenagers should be staffed by trained personnel experienced in dealing with psychosocial issues in children, including child abuse. The team should include individuals who can communicate in Chinese, English, Malay, Tamil, and potentially some East Malaysian languages to accommodate calls from Sabah and Sarawak.
The line should be child- and teenager-friendly. It must have the capacity to respond swiftly, nationwide, to urgent needs involving violence. This would be best achieved through collaboration between the Welfare Department and a wide network of civil society organisations (NGOs), leveraging the provisions under the Child Act 2001.
Ongoing training and emotional support for helpline staff are essential. The dedicated helpline for children should be free and available 24 hours a day. It should be widely and consistently promoted through various media platforms and in all educational institutions to ensure children are aware of its existence.
It is also important to recognise that children may take time to express serious concerns. Internationally, it is acknowledged that boys, in particular, may call up to seven times before speaking up. Therefore, what may appear as ‘prank calls’ are often ‘drop calls’ and should be handled seriously.
Finally, any serious attempt to establish a dedicated helpline for children and teenagers should undergo periodic audits for improvement. These audits should be transparent and conducted by external teams, evaluating the quality of services, responsiveness, children’s awareness of the helpline number, staff competence, and feedback from children.
Datuk Dr Amar-Singh HSS, is a Consultant Paediatrician child-Disability activist, while Datin PH Wong, is with Childline Foundation & Co-Secretariat Child Rights Coalition Malaysia.
The views expressed here are the personal opinion of the writer’s and do not necessarily represent that of Twentytwo13.
