The National Child Helpline service is provided through a toll-free 116 telephone line available across all networks in Tanzania. 116 Helpline is supported by an outreach service for children. It is accessible to all children whenever they require assistance or just need someone to talk to: operates between 9.00am and 08.00pm daily. This is a ‘testing’ phase projected to last for 12 months to allow the child helpline team to assess the demand versus the capacity and to adapt accordingly ahead of rolling the service to 24 hours.
Outreach and awareness-raising activities are key components of the child helpline. These activities inform children about the child helpline’s service and how to access it; besides being proactive in the service to children and try to ensure accessibility of the service to even the most marginalised group(s) of children leaving in remote parts of Tanzania.
The child helpline works closely with the existing social services, both public (through the Department for Social Welfare) and private (CSOs, CBOs, etc.). It is often impossible for children to know all the services available, especially in emergency situations. The helpline is vital focal point for Child Protection System , helping to link children to available services within their Local Government Authority.
The child helpline responds to a contact by counselling the child or guiding the child into making a decision by him or herself. When the child has specific problems or needs which the child helpline is not equipped to address, the child helpline refers the child to appropriate existing services through the Social Welfare Officer. Social Welfare officers have responsibility to follow up on cases and attend to the specific needs of the child (S. 94 of the Law of the Child Act, 2009).
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