Advertisement

'I was finding it extremely difficult to cope'

Parentline is a helpline for parents, staffed by trained volunteers, which has been running for o...

Share this article

09.53 26 Sep 2019


'I was finding it extremely difficult to cope'


Listen to this episode


Share this article

09.53 26 Sep 2019


Parentline is a helpline for parents, staffed by trained volunteers, which has been running for over 30 years.

Almost a fifth of the calls they received last year related to aggression in children and teens, which sometimes involved the physcial abuse of parents.

Other common queries relate to new babies but CEO, Rita O'Reilly, says they're getting an increasing number of calls from grandparents.

The recession led to a rise in the number of households with three generations living under one roof.

There are also grandparents who have assumed the role, formally or informally, of the primary carer.

But what is it like for the people who work at Parentline and what are the human stories behind the 3,000 calls they deal with every year.

Newstalk reporter, Aideen Finngean, has visited their call centre on North Brunswick Street in Dublin to find out.

 


Read more about

Aggression In Children Aideen Finnegan Charity Grandparents Irish Radio Newstalk ParentLine Parenting Post Natal Depression Primary Carer Radio Rita O’Reilly Teenage Aggression The Pat Kenny Show Volunteering

Related Episodes

Winners and Sinners

00:27:22

Winners and Sinners

The Hard Shoulder

00:27:22


Wish Week: Ciara sings Madonna...

00:11:54

Wish Week: Ciara sings Madonna on Grafton Street!

The Hard Shoulder

00:11:54


1926 census records to be rele...

00:06:36

1926 census records to be released - what should you search for?

The Hard Shoulder

00:06:36


Daniel Kinahan arrested in the...

00:03:35

Daniel Kinahan arrested in the United Arab Emirates

The Hard Shoulder

00:03:35