Derry man Cormac reflects on 16 years working at Childline

When Cormac, 54, started working in Childline’s Foyle base 16 years ago as a Sessional Supervisor, the calls to Childline were often from children who were whispering anxiously because they were using the family phone in the hallway and did not want to be overheard. The only alternative was to find a phone box but that really was not a safe option for many of them. The way children contact Childline now has changed dramatically but they are still facing many of the same problems in their daily lives.

The charity was established in London in 1986 with just 40 volunteers in a small office after a helpline which was set up following a BBC television programme on child abuse, was inundated with calls. Dame Esther Rantzen, who hosted the original programme, realised that there was a vital need for an ongoing outlet for children and so Childline was created. Thirty-seven years later, there are now 12 bases across the UK, including the one in Foyle.

Cormac, who is originally from Pennyburn, now lives in Letterkenny, County Donegal with his wife and daughter. After completing a BA (Hons) in International Business Communication in 1991 at Ulster University Magee Campus, he worked in transport management before realising that he wanted to move to a career where he could help and support young people. He fulfilled this ambition by taking up a post working with young people leaving residential care and, in 2007, achieved a Diploma in Counselling at Magee before moving to Childline.

Cormac said: “When the job was advertised with Childline, I knew it was exactly what I wanted and was delighted to be appointed. I had no idea that I would still be with the charity 16 years later - the time has flown!”

When Cormac started working for Childline there were some 25 volunteers and four staff who had joined quickly after the base opened in 2007. Cormac is now Service Head for Childline Foyle and Cardiff and the online service, and reflects on some of the changes he has witnessed:

“When I started, it was actually still pretty revolutionary to have a service which allowed children and young people to speak freely about things that concerned them, in the knowledge that they weren’t being judged but were being listened to and supported. Often, we were the first people they had told about their problems - including sexual abuse which was not then talked about so openly. Childline was simply a lifeline for many young people.”

The charity has had to adapt over the years and Cormac observed: “We now take a lot more contacts by email and using one- to-one chats, as many young people prefer to use this form of communication. We’ve trained our volunteers accordingly, but it does mean we’re always needing more volunteers because replying in this way actually takes longer. Another big change is the use of social media which has had a massive influence on children. It’s an important part of life for many young people but we get many calls about online bullying, grooming and other dangers which we could have never have imagined when Childline started out.”

The Childline office is at Exchange House in the city centre and this also houses the NSPCC Hub which offers direct services for local children. Childline Foyle currently has 16 staff and a large team of amazing volunteers who are contacted every day by children and young people from across the UK. It has recently been selected to join a small group of bases to offer an all-night service. Staff and volunteers at the Foyle base hear from children and young people who often have nowhere else to turn and choose to get in touch for many reasons including loneliness, sexual abuse and neglect. For many children, it is the first time they have spoken out about these issues and, often, it is at night when they feel most able to talk about their worries and concerns.

Cormac said: “I was so pleased that we were chosen to have this wonderful and much-needed service, here in the North West. We’ve been expanding steadily over the years but the night service is a real boost. It’s great to be able to help so many young people and now at the Foyle base we can offer counselling and help to even more children because we are open for longer hours and have our new and expanded team in place. For some people, midnight is a time for winding down but at the Foyle base it’s often just the beginning. We have also found that contacts at night are frequently more complex than those which occur in the daytime, resulting in more referrals to the police or social services.

“One thing that hasn’t changed over the years the dedication of our volunteers because without them, Childline would have ceased to exist. We are truly a volunteer-led organisation and they come from all walks of life: School pupils, students, people with busy careers, retired people and also some who were helped by Childline when they were younger. Our volunteers could not be a more diverse group but they all have one thing in common - the desire to support, advise and listen to children and young people who often feel that no one cares about them or what they are going through. Volunteers receive full training, ongoing support and need no prior experience and, indeed, many of our staff members began as volunteers.

“We’ve come a long way since Childline began and in the 16 years since I’ve been here, there are aspects of the job which are very different. However, some things don’t change such as the supportive atmosphere in the base, the commitment of the volunteers and the passion to help children.

"Being able to help a child is such a privilege and I feel so fortunate to work in Childline along with such an amazing group of volunteers. We’re holding our first open day, at the base on Friday 2 June from 11am -2pm. Anyone who would like to find out more about what’s involved in becoming a volunteer, or working with us, is very welcome to call in on the day for a cup of tea, a chat with our staff and volunteers and have a look around the base. For more details, contact Donna Fulton on [email protected] or call on 028 2044 1733 / 028 2044 1734.”