Telephone based counselling and support service Connect reported its busiest year ever in 2010 receiving more than 10,000 calls, a 25% increase over 2009.
The finding is contained in Connect’s first ever service report (Connect Service Report 2006-2010) which was launched today covering the first five years of the service from 2006 to 2010.
Calls to Connect grew by an average of 30% year on year during its first four full years of service (2007-2010), with a total of 31,835 calls made to Connect since it began in mid 2006. Connect was established in 2006 following demands from groups representing survivors of institutional abuse that an independent and professional out of hours telephone based counselling and support service be established. The service is fully funded by the HSE.
Other findings in report include:
Urban areas such as Dublin Cork and Galway had a much higher volume of calls than rural areas, accounting for 54% of calls in 2010.
· Connect provides a flexible service and extends its opening hours at times of high demand (such as the launch of the Murphy and Ryan reports, or TV programmes relating to abuse). Since 2006 it has extended its hours of service on 23 separate occasions.
Connect can be called from the Republic of Ireland on 1800 477 477 and from the UK on 0800 477 477 77