• The number of cases taken by counselors has increased since the meeting, where they were encouraged to doing more cases.

• Approximately 35% of the cases were redirected to our therapeutic unit for therapy, court preparation and the sex offender rehabilitation programme. 25% was referred to other service providers and the Crisis Line counsellors provided ongoing management of 40% of the cases.

• The Crisis Line networks and partners with other service providers as well as plays a role of monitoring and tracking and advocates ensuring optimal services are provided to children. 

• There has been an increase in the no of calls and cases per month as since Vodocom cell phone holders are now able to call us free on the toll free line. Since in certain rural and township areas there are no call boxes both children and adults have access to calling Childline on the toll free line.

• There has also been an increase in the number of calls from other provinces, approximately 900 calls per month especially on the weekends from Gauteng and Eastern Cape. There appears to be a problem with the network as the caller uses the correct number however the calls overlaps to KZN province.

• Childline has received an increased number of calls from deep rural areas namely Hlabisa, Nqutu, Msinga, Mtubatuba, Mahlabathi, Nongoma, Mondlo, Melmoth, a portion of which are cases which we have referred and the other were want to talks as most people from these areas are still resistant about revealing all the details. The main catergories in terms of the problems experienced were sexual abuse, neglect and child headed households as a result of HIV/AIDS and child labour.

• Childline has received a higher number of child abuse cases ( i.e.: sexual, physical, emotional abuse and neglect) from the following areas:
  1. Umlazi
  2. Inanda
  3. Kwa Mashu
  4. Phoenix
  5. Chatsworth
  6. Ulundi Region
  7. Empangeni
  8. Eshowe
  9. Esikhaweni
  10. Durban
  11. Umbumbulu

• The calls we receive are broken down in the following categories:

• Cases are faxed for immediate intervention to other service providers, including the SAPS. Some of these cases require statutory services e.g. removals to institutions, medical examinations. There are also educators, medical staff; SAPS etc who are perpetrators of sexual abuse are reported to their department management for enquiry.

• Data base training was completed with new trainee counsellors.

• A Data Voice System was installed to record all calls and aids in training and enquiries. It proves to be a valuable monitoring instrument for the 24/7 Crisis Help Line.
• All calls are recorded in a Data Voice computer programme to make the tracking of cases accessible and available. Protocols have been developed with various service providers on the referral of cases.
• It also provides interesting graphs & statistics for analysing the time & length of calls which should assist in planning better for manning of the lines. For instance, at times we require more counsellors to man the lines as the calls are more frequent.

• Enabled the listening of counsellors on how calls were dealt with.
• The Data voice has been beneficial as this system has enabled us to monitor and track calls.
• The Data voice has also provided as an excellent training tool with the counsellors.  
• The Datavoice system enables us to track the number of calls obtained for the Crisisline i.e.

• Extensive supervision, training and Debriefing is provided to both the administrative staff and the counsellors, supervision occurs weekly and training monthly.
• Training in conjunction with supervision to address counsellor’s specific problems.

• We often encounter problems with some of the service providers. Concerning case follow ups. Some of them feel that we are undermining their intelligence and playing superiority but fail to understand that we are trying to maintain professionalism and that the callers rely on the organization in endeavoring to curb the high rate of child abuse. Some of their case feedbacks are not clear and do not correspond with the case details and have to contact them for clarification which is time consuming and causing a delay since most of the time they are unavailable.
• We are still experiencing problems with case addresses, manner of writing, case          registration and ages of the child concerned.
• The same problem is encountered with regards to case addresses. Some of the counsellors still continue to provide insufficient addresses despite having repeatedly stressed the importance of the correct and clear address as some of the service providers have recently voiced their concerns over this.
• Adjustments to statistics and implementation of the new statistics format.
• Several power cuts has resulted in a decrease in the number of calls and cases as no electricity- no telephones.
• The high number of test and hoax calls mainly by children during their holidays.

• Since February 08 there has been an increase in the number of cases from the schools whereby either the principal or the teacher has been abusive towards the learner. Childline has identified such schools for the outreach and awareness programmes.
• Children may call in groups to test the response they would receive, that some would cry without words or remain silent and others may use provocative language. Counsellors have been trained to respond in a calm and professional manner.
• These were all recognised as attempts to communicate.
• We are finding more and more children with special needs are becoming victims of sexual and physical abuse. Child protection talks are being held with schools for the disabled.
• There has been approx 45 case each month whereby the perpetrator included mothers and aunts; there has been a definite increase in this area.
• Still 87% of our caseload reflects that the abuser is either a parent or a family member/caregiver with 72% of the perpetrators being under 50 years old. 

• There has been a decrease in the number of hoax calls
• There has been prompt, efficient and constructive feedback in respect of cases as a result of protocols in place.
• Statistics in respect neglect has increased to the rate of sexual abuse.

Category of cases
Abuse	45 %
Alternative care	1 %
Behavior Problems	13 %
Commercial exploitation	2 %
Disability	1 %
Discrimination	1 %
Family relationships	1 %
Homeless	1 %