Sir, - Your social affairs correspondent, Padraig O Moran, reports that the value of Childline has been drawn into question by the eight health boards (March 4th). This appears to be based on the fact that the service brought to light very few new cases of child abuse. This is poor, and potentially dangerous, use of statistics.
If it is the case that the majority of children reporting child abuse, to Childline were already known to the health boards, is it not a damming indictment on the health boards, and ultimately, one the Department of Health, that these children needed to contact Childline to find someone willing to listen to their problems? Where were the psychologists, social workers, community workers and other support services? If they are available, why do children have difficulty communicating with them?
Some 144,000 calls from children in 1996 alone, even if only a portion refer specifically to child abuse, attests to the value of the service. Let the children decide. - Yours, etc.,
Willington Green,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.