About 280 calls received by the Non-Government Organization – Lifeline Fiji helpline last year are from children.

Lifeline Fiji Services and Training Manager, Timaima Rokotagane says these calls range from suspected child abuse, miscommunication between parents and children, child welfare and most importantly self harm.

Rokotagane says self harm is one of the areas of concern and should be dealt with seriously.

”Children usually bring out the fact that they feel that they are not understood, they feel that they are not heard, they feel that they are not important and having discussed that with children, what I can see as a parent is that the loophole is where the child receives information’s or attention from the parents in a way that is not acceptable to the child, whereby the parents is addressing their children whereby way that they can without realizing the impact of the child. So there seems to be a kind of mis-communication between the parents and children.”

Rokotagane says they are working with relevant stake holders to help meet the needs of children who call up for Lifeline’s help and services.

The 280 calls received are from children below the age of 20.