CARI National Helpline
Since its first full year of operation in 2001 the CARI Helpline has provided an invaluable public service. Callers are able to explore concerns, feelings and fears regarding child sexual abuse in safety and anonymity. The CARI Helpline is the first point of contact for the majority of the public and professionals who have questions about child protection and issues around child sexual abuse. Our experienced operators will provide information and advice to individuals and professionals with concerns about child sexual abuse or children displaying sexualised behaviour. Through the Helpline CARI can arrange appointments for parents/carers or other individuals who would like to address their concerns face to face or feel in need of a crisis appointment from one of our therapists.Who calls CARI and why?
Throughout its history the single largest category of callers to the Helpline has been mothers looking to discuss concerns ranging from coping with the disclosures of abuse to helping support siblings of victims or simply to talk over their anxiety about a child. Adult survivors are another group of callers and this has remained consistent as a result of the impact of ongoing events and developments in the media and courts. We also receive significant numbers of calls from fathers, relatives, friends as well as social workers, teachers and other professionals. It has always been part of our remit to offer advice and support to adults and professionals who are not sure about how best to protect children, therefore it is always heartening to get calls from this cohort. While our Helpline is not aimed at teenagers there has been a noticeable increase in the number of teenagers contacting us, perhaps as a result of our increasing profile. We will always seek to address their issues as best we can but if they have specific concerns about their own well being we will often re-direct them. A significant number of calls are silent or distressed. In these cases there may be tears with no words audible. We use this contact to reassure and affirm the person for the contact and view these calls as important as all other Helpline calls.Ongoing training for Helpline Staff
CARI is a member of the Telephone Helplines Association (THA) which works with Helplines to achieve the highest quality response to all those seeking information advice and help via the telephone. Our Helpline Operators are trained in counselling with some holding relevant primary degrees. Our team of psychologists and psychotherapists also provide in house training on an ongoing basis. The Helpline team has also received training in areas such as- Child Protection Issues’ (provided by the HSE)
- Child Sexual Abuse Assessment Procedures’ (provided by the Child Sexual Assessment Team from St Clare’s Unit, Temple Street)
- The role of the Gardai in child protection issues’ (provided by Detectives from the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Investigation Unit in Harcourt Square, Dublin)
The Helpline team has also received training and information days from other relevant organisations such as Women’s Aid, Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Hotline (supervising the Internet), Drugs/H.I.V, Cherry Orchard Hospital, Northside Inter Agency Project (N.I.A.P.) and the Granada Institute.
Download General Information Pack