Protecting Children at Risk in Thailand

Dear friends at GlobalGiving,

Since our last report earlier this year, the Childline Thailand Foundation has been working harder than ever, answering calls, replying to messages, and receiving letters from children across the country, day and night. No matter how difficult things get, or how hard the situations we face, we continue to stand firm and serve children 24 hours a day, just as we always have.

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What do these numbers reflect?

Over the past three months, the 1387 hotline stayed true to its purpose: a hotline always ready to support every child in Thailand who needs someone to talk to.

Around 16,111 children and families reached out to us — that's about 179 people a day, or roughly 7 every hour.

   |   “1 hour could save 7 children.”

Phone calls are still how most children find us; our team answered 8,673 calls over the three months. But children are also increasingly reaching us through the channels they already live in: Facebook Messenger (3,563), Instagram (2,341), LINE (1,384), and email (63).

From these contacts, our team formally opened 128 new cases this quarter (35 in May, 44 in June, 49 in July, climbing steadily), and in total, we actively supported 940 cases of children across Thailand, from the first phone call all the way through follow-up care.

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What are children telling us?

The conversations mostly centre on the everyday pressures kids are carrying — family relationships (3,943 contacts), peer relationships (3,895), and mental health (3,708) top the list, followed by education/occupation struggles (614) and issues of accessibility (573).

But some of what we hear is more urgent than “everyday.”

   |   “Every day, at least 6 children  facing violence turn to Childline for help.”

Within our violence-related cases (573 total this quarter), the most common concerns were bullying (188 cases), physical violence (152), and sexual abuse (69) — with smaller but no less serious numbers around emotional violence, online sexual exploitation, neglect, and child labor.

Bullying is often brushed off as harmless teasing or "just kids being kids" — but what feels like fun for some can be deeply painful for others, and left unaddressed, it can lead to consequences far more serious than anyone intended.

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Who did we help?

Children of all ages called from toddlers to teenagers, but the heaviest volume came from teens aged 13–17 and young people 18–25, many of whom first found Childline as children and still trust us enough to come back. This isn't surprising: children younger than this still tend to have parents close by for guidance, while teens in this age range are beginning to navigate life more on their own, and by the time they're past 17, many have moved into their own social circles and are no longer living with their parents day-to-day, often without anyone else readily there to turn to for advice.

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Teaching children to find their voice

We ran our “No Go Tell” workshops with secondary school students (ages 13–18) in hands-on sessions built to strengthen children's confidence, help them recognise unsafe or uncomfortable situations, and practice saying no before turning to a trusted adult for help.

   |   “No Go Tell - helping children find their voice before they ever need to use it.”

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Equipping the adults around them

We also worked directly with the adults children see every day: teachers. Across every grade level at an international school, our team led sessions that were less “training” and more genuine exchange — sharing real experience alongside updates on the school's Child Safeguarding Policy, so teachers understand not just what to do, but why it matters.

Prevention, for us, isn't a single activity; it's building a whole safety net: starting with the child, extending to the classroom, and reaching all the way to the systems meant to protect them.

Thank you. Every meal, every night of shelter, every child who found the courage to say no because of a workshop we ran, every conversation that starts with “hello, this is Childline” — happens because you chose to stand with Thailand's children.

We'll be back next quarter with more updates. Until then, know the line is open, day and night, for any child who needs it.

Links:

• Childline Thailand Foundation
• Facebook
• Linkedin