A telephone hotline for children in distress

Program start 2011
Impacted population 35,000

The “Childline”, operated by FXB India Suraksha in certain states, is India’s first telephone hotline for children in distress.

Context

40,000 children use it every day. The service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is completely free of charge. The number 1098 is a vital link between children and existing support services.

The Childline is the flagship programme of the Child Protection Plan, supported by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Government of India.

Our action

FXB India Suraksha manages it in two discticts of Manipur and Uttar Pradesh. The organization works closely with the various stakeholders to ensure the most effective response to calls for help from children. The main interventions are linked to abuses committed or to be committed – child trafficking, early marriages, sexual abuse, violence – or the disappearance of children, which is a widespread phenomenon in India. The helpline service is available for children requiring any psychosocial support, educational support or medical support.

The goal is for FXB to be able to intervene within 60 minutes of the child’s emergency call and get him/her to safety. Then, long-term rehabilitation options are put in motion with the child, his or her family when possible, and the shelter in which he or she has been brought to.

Program impact

Till now, through CHILDLINE 1098, FXB India has been able to reach out to more than 35 000 children and general public through direct intervention, referrals and generating awareness.

Testimonial

I felt desperate when I called the Childline. The advice they gave me helped me get back on track, find solutions and regain hope.

Darshan