The Child Safety Helpline recorded more than 192,000 contacts from children and young people over the past year, the highest number in its history. Experts say the rise reflects growing mental health pressures, including anxiety, depression, loneliness, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts, as well as problems linked to online environments such as cyberbullying and social media pressure. Most children still prefer phone calls, seeking a real human voice and immediate emotional support.
Demand increases particularly during the Christmas holidays, when feelings of sadness, family tension, and isolation intensify, despite the festive period. Operating continuously since 1996, the helpline now marks nearly 30 years of providing anonymous support and has delivered more than 3.5 million professional interventions. Alongside crisis intervention, it also focuses on prevention, awareness campaigns, and training specialists across Slovakia. The helpline plans to further expand its capacity to meet rising demand while maintaining high professional standards of care.
Source: STVR
