News
"All I want for Christmas is for the fighting to stop"
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Christmas should be a time of year that every child looks forward to. However when there is violence in the home, it is often a time that children fear.
When violence happens in the home, people often forget that it has such a negative impact on children. It can have a lifelong impact on children and young people. They may become withdrawn, lose confidence and even become violent themselves. They can also feel angry, guilty, insecure, frightened and confused.
At CHILDREN 1ST, we help children and young people to overcome their traumatic experiences, so they can start to look forward to occasions like Christmas again.
Our campaign
Working closely with the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit we are taking action to secure a brighter future for children like Ben who live in fear of abuse and violence.
About Ben
We worked with children and young people in our services to find out about their experiences of Christmas. Their stories inspired us to create our Letter to Santa campaign. You can read all about Ben, one of the children we talked to, here (PDF document, 2MB).
Your support
This Christmas please help us make a difference by texting BEN to 70080 to donate £3 to CHILDREN 1ST. With your support we can continue to listen, support and take action for Scotland’s vulnerable children, young people and their families.
Need help?
If you are concerned about a child experiencing violence at home this Christmas, contact ParentLine Scotland free on 0800 028 2233 or at parentlinescotland@children1st.org.uk.
Helpline opening hours
Monday: 9am–10pm
Tuesday: 9am–10pm
Wednesday: 9am–10pm
Thursday: 9am–10pm
Friday: 9am–10pm
Saturday: 12pm–8pm
Sunday: 12pm–8pm
Please note that from Christmas Eve till Monday 2 January, the helpline is open from 10am to 1pm.
Thank you. We wish you and your families a safe and happy Christmas.
Last updated: Tuesday 24 January 2012
