Contact:
Regina Byrne
Address:
The Cardinal Heenan Centre
326-328 High Road
ILFORD
Essex
IG1 1QP
Counselling Line:
Admin Line:
Fax:
0845 122 8622
020 8514 5444
020 8478 7943
e-mail:
What can Careline provide?
Careline provides confidential crisis telephone counselling for children, young people and adults. We offer a unique service in that we can provide instant telephone counselling to any individual on any issue.
The calls we receive include family, marital and relationship problems, rape and sexual assault, child abuse, bullying, exam worries, eating disorders, HIV/AIDS and sexual health, bereavement, drug and alcohol addictions, homelessness, disability, ethnic issues, stress, depression, loneliness, anxieties and phobias.
At Careline we have an extensive referral system covering the whole country and can offer to refer callers to a specific agency or support group in their area if required.
Careline offers anti-bullying and assertiveness workshops for local schools.
How did Careline evolve?
Careline has been in existence since 1978 and was previously run and funded by the National Children's Home as part of their countrywide network of Carelines. Over the years NCH closed down their Carelines in order to put their finances into developing new areas of work and the Ilford Careline was closed by NCH in September 1992.
The Careline volunteers, however, were determined to keep this important service running and embarked on an initial fund raising campaign to keep the telephone lines open. A Management Committee was formed to manage the project and we are now a registered charity in our own right, receiving calls from all over the country. Out of the original 9 NCH Carelines we are the only Careline to remain open. Our Patron is Frank Lampard Senior.
Callers refer themselves to our services and our details are also passed to callers from other agencies which include Childline, Child Protection Teams, Domestic Violence Units, Victim Support Schemes, Relate, Mind, Samaritans, CAB, Brook Centres, Rape Crisis Centres, GPs, Health Visitors, Social Workers, College Advisors, Teachers and Youth Leaders.
We are regularly referred to by agony aunts who write for national newspapers and magazines, and by television companies including BBC, Granada, Carlton and LWT.
Why does Careline exist?
We exist because there are many people today who are isolated by loneliness, a breakdown in relationships or by a particular personal or family problem that they cannot share. Sometimes people call because there is a worry or fear which they want to talk about in confidence.
People need an empathetic, non-judgemental person at the other end of the line, who is interested in them and their feelings about whatever is troubling them.
Careline Volunteers
Careline volunteers come from a wide range of backgrounds. We have a cultural mix of volunteers and as many of our callers come from different ethnic cultures, we are able to offer other spoken languages such as Hebrew, Gujrati, Punjabi, Urdu and Hindu. Although volunteers do not need to have any professional qualifications, we do look for warm, patient, stable, clear-headed people who have an accepting, non-judgemental attituded. We also look for common-sense and a willingness to learn because training and supervision is continuous once accepted as a volunteer counsellor.
Training
The initial training is split into 2 modules over a period of three months. At the end of each module, assessment and selection takes place and after the basic training there is a further probationary period of several months working alongside an experienced counsellor.
We offer support with supervision and on-going training. It is expected that both are undertaken while working as a crisis telephone counsellor in Careline. There is the opportunity to undertake an NVQ qualification in Care, Level 3.
Careline is a member of the British Association of Counselling. Membership of the BAC is not a qualification in counselling but means that Careline abides by the Codes of Ethics and Practice and is subject to the Complaints Procedure of the British Association of Counselling. Copies of these Codes and the Complaints Procdure are available from the BAC. Careline is also a member of the Telephone Helpline Association and adheres to the THA guidelines for good practice.
How you can help
By making a donation to Careline
By taking a Careline collection box
By sponsoring Careline or part of our work, eg a fundraising event, leaflets or our Annual Report
By displaying our posters and leaflets
By offering your services as a volunteer telephone counsellor
If you can help with any of the above please contact Careline on 020 8514 5444
