The spring semester is underway after the Christmas break, but the idea of the Christmas break as a time of community, joy and rest is for many of the children who contact Children’s Rights in Society (Bris) the exact opposite.
In total, calls to Bris increased by 23 percent compared to last Christmas holiday.
Bris has never received so many calls any Christmas holiday before. It says something about the fact that there is a great need for support among children in general, and it becomes particularly clear during the leave periods, says Magnus Jägerskog, secretary general at Bris.
What stands out in the contacts with Bris during the holidays are family conflicts and violence and vulnerability in the home.
Many of the calls are specifically linked to alcohol, to parents who drink too much. In 25 percent of all contacts we have with children, we refer further to other functions in society. In the really tough situations, we try to encourage the children to step out of their anonymity so that they can get help. Some choose to do it, others don’t, says Magnus Jägerskog.
Long phone line
The children’s rights organization was staffed around the clock even during the Christmas holidays, but even so, not everyone came forward.
There are calls at all hours of the day and there is a queue for a large part of the day, so how many children we can support is a question related to the resources we have, says Magnus Jägerskog.
Since Bris introduced round-the-clock staffing for the national helpline in 2021, the number of calls about mental illness such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, self-harming behavior and suicidal thoughts has increased significantly.
Lower the thresholds
According to Magnus Jägerskog, the common thread in the contacts with Bris is that the child lacks an adult to talk to in his everyday life.
The fact that the calls to Bris have increased is good in that it means that more children have received support, but it also says something about the fact that there is a need for support that society does not really manage to meet.
Concretely, Bris wants to lower the thresholds and enable conversation support within schools, student health and after-school facilities.
It is clear that many do not feel that there is anyone they can turn to in their everyday life, but we can all be an important adult and ask how a young person is doing. It is an important insight before a new year, says Magnus Jägerskog.
Magnus Jägerskog, general secretary of Bris. Press photo.
Magnus Jägerskog, general secretary of Bris. Press photo.
Photo: Fredrik Hjerling
That’s how many people contacted Bris 21/12-6/1 in the last three years
2022 – 2,368 contacts
2023 – 2,682 contacts
2024 – 3,310 contacts
Source: Bris