"CHILD LINE" ("VAIKŲ LINIJA")
"Child Line" established in 1997 provides free and anonymous help to the children and teenagers by phone and on-line. "Child Line" consultants listen to all the children's stories and try to find ways together to solve their difficulties, to encourage them to share their worries with the people they trust. If necessary children are referred to other institutions. Currently 130 consultants out of whom 120 are volunteers provide help to children and teenagers.
"Child Line" activities across Lithuania are organized by NGO "Vaikų linija" in Vilnius, by Kaunas Child Welfare Centre "Pastogė", Kaunas Dainava Youth Centre and Klaipėda Pedagogical Psychological Service.
By providing help to children on the European helpline 116111, "Child Line" cooperates with the professionals of the National Children's Rights Protection and Adoption Institution (www.vaikoteises.lt) which makes it possible to secure access to emotional support, to social and legal councelling services.
For many years "Child Line" has been the member of the Lithuanian Association for Emotional Support Services (www.klausau.lt) and founding member of "Child Helpline International" that unites 173 child helplines in 142 countries over the globe. "Child Line" is also a member of Safer Internet consortium in Lithuania (www.draugiskasinternetas.lt) and is associated with INSAFE network.
"Child Line" mission is to provide help to children and teenagers by phone and on-line by accepting them the way they are, to look for the answers to the questions that worry them together and encourage children and teenagers help themselves and their peers, to raise the awareness of adults about the reasons that make children suffer and about the ways to help them.
Main projects and initiatives undertaken by "Child Line":