The Kids Help Line is expanding its counselling services following a new funding commitment from the Australian Government.
The Government has committed $5.035 million over two and half years to enable Kids Help Line to increase and expand its telephone counselling, self-help and web-based support programs.
Announcing the funding commitment, the Assistant Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne, said: ?Today?s announcement of funding to Kids Help Line to expand its 24-hour national telephone counselling and limited hours online counselling service will assist it to better respond to and help children and young people in need.
?Having someone to talk to can often make the difference in times of emotional distress and personal crisis,? Mr Pyne said.
?This free, confidential and anonymous counselling service is often the first place many young people make contact.
?Through the support of professionally-qualified staff, Kids Help Line assists these young people to develop strategies and skills that enable them to more effectively manage their own lives.?
Mr Pyne said Kids Help Line would use the funding to further recruit and train professional telephone and online counsellors. It would improve information technology and telephone infrastructure to increase access to the national 1800 55 1800 phone and online counselling service.
An independent external evaluation of the project would also be undertaken to improve the quality of service for mental health callers.