Characteristics of availability of psychological assistance for children and their parents (according to child helpline activities)

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to identify the need of children and their parents for psychological help services via the helpline and to assess its accessibility. The article is the second part of the publications devoted to methodological approaches and analysis of child helpline activities. The empirical basis of the study was the data on the records of helpline services activities in Russian regions, accumulated by the Foundation for Supporting Children in Difficult Life Situations, as well as data from official statistical records and sample surveys on socio-demographic problems of the Federal State Statistics Service. The scope and structure of child helpline activities in Russia have been studied. On the basis of empirical values, dynamics of calls to the child helpline by categories of callers and issues of treatment has been presented, and changes that have occurred characterized. In the structure of appeals and callers, groups and categories of greatest interest have been presented. The largest number of appeals come from children and adolescents, followed by other citizens, and the smallest number of appeals come from the parents of children and persons in loco parentis. The appeals structure analysis shows that the leading place among the problems addressed to child helpline is occupied by child–parent relations, children’s relations with peers, educational problems, and career guidance problems. The analysis in the article can be useful in the work of centers for psychological help to children and child helpline, as well as used in educational and practical educational institutions activities.