Teams at the NSPCC Helpline in Belfast have joined forces to send a care package to front-line medical staff at a Belfast hospital.
Staff from the children’s charity recently handed over a ‘self care’ box with treats for all those working at the intensive care unit at the Royal Victoria Hospital.
The package also contained items which hospital staff, who are self-isolating from their families, could take home afterwards. The box was packed full of items including face masks, fluffy socks, books, tea, coffee and sweets.
Helpline practitioner Colleen McKenna, from Armagh, said the idea was a ‘self care’ box or some treats for staff to make their shift slightly easier or something they could take home after a hard shift.
“Suggestions of items were face masks, fluffy socks, books, tea, coffee and sweets. The response was brilliant and when myself and a colleague dropped it over to the Royal’s intensive care unit, the staff were really delighted that we had thought of them,” she said.
“I thought of it because a relative of mine is a nurse there and hearing how she can’t see her family and friends after such a hard shift made me think if we could do something that would make their day a bit better. They have been advised to self-isolate as much as possible between shifts. My relative told me how this is a really lonely time as she is away from her family and friends.
“I just wanted to show everyone at the intensive care unit how grateful for all they are doing,” added Colleen.
Staff at the NSPCC helpline, which is based primarily in Belfast, have been granted key worker status by the NI Executive which will allow the essential service, to be staffed for adults to get in touch by phone or online to get advice and share their concerns about a child, anonymously if they wish.
The Helpline teams in Belfast and Manchester work 365 days per year to protect children in Northern Ireland and across the rest of the UK. The NSPCC helpline team are professional practitioners with backgrounds in jobs like social work, teaching, counselling and health care.
As the lockdown remains in place throughout Northern Ireland, staff at the helpline are urging members of the public to be alert to possible signs of neglect and abuse and to call the helpline if they are concerned.
Social distancing, self-isolating and quarantine can cause stress and changes in everyone’s behaviour. Spotting the signs of abuse might be more difficult and it can be difficult to know for certain if something is wrong.
Possible signs of abuse include aggressive or repeated shouting, hearing hitting or things being broken, children crying for long periods of time, very young children left alone or outdoors by themselves, children looking dirty or not changing their clothes and children being withdrawn or anxious.
The free NSPCC Helpline provides adults with a place they can get advice and support, share their concerns about a child or get general information about child protection. Adults can contact the Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or email help@nspcc.org.uk