FRIDAY 24 July was national Kids Helpline Day and representatives of the crisis and mental health support program were using the event as a way of driving home the challenging numbers behind the service.
In the first six months of 2026, more than 60,000 contacts had been made with Kids Helpline, with crisis interventions up 26 per cent year on year.
Yet the people behind the service want to do more, with the recently launched Help Us Reach Them campaign aiming to provide support for young people before their challenges reach crisis points.
As part of the effort, former NRL player Luke Bateman has joined the campaign, and he’s drawing on his own experiences when encouraging young people to feel confident in seeking help.
“I know firsthand how hard it can be to speak up when you’re struggling,” he said.
“I want young people to know it’s okay to ask for help.
“You don’t have to carry everything on your own. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that asking for help isn’t weakness; it’s one of the strongest things you can do.
“That’s why I wanted to be a part of this campaign. Early conversations and support can make a real lasting difference.
“Encouraging a child to use Kids Helpline for any reason to seek help when they need to can really change the trajectory of their journey.
“We need to act now to ensure this state of crisis doesn’t continue for young people.”
The numbers behind those who reach out to Kids Helpline are stark.
Nationwide, one in four kids reach out seeking support for emotional wellbeing or mental health concerns.
One in seven calls are linked to suicide-related concerns, one in 11 to self-harm, and one in 13 relate to child abuse.
In NSW so far this year, there’s been more than 18,600 contacts with Kids Helpline, with 27 per cent of crisis interventions coming from within the state.
Of those NSW interventions, 39 per cent were for child abuse matters, 29 per cent related to suicide attempts and eight per cent were for mental illness issues.
Young women were three times as likely to reach out than young men.
yourtown CEO Tracy Adams said often young people were accessing the Kids Helpline service after issues had reached a tipping point.
“Behind every crisis intervention is a young person in significant distress,” she said.
“We want young people to know they don’t have to wait until they are in crisis to ask for help.
“Young people can’t seek support if they don’t know the service exists. The earlier we can connect those in distress with Kids Helpline, the greater impact we can have in their help-seeking journey.”
Kids Helpline counsellors are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via 1800 55 1800 or webchat at kidshelpline.com.au.