Annual Review and Annual Accounts 2024
This document is the summarized annual financial report of Stichting Child Helpline International for the year ending 31 December 2024..
As stipulated by Dutch reporting regulations for foundations, the full annual financial report of Stichting Child Helpline International is available upon request.
Contact us at: info@childhelplineinternational.org
Published July 2025
Child Helpline International
Bruggebouw Suite 5.08, Bos en Lommerplein 280, 1055 RW Amsterdam, The Netherlands www.childhelplineinternational.org
Child Helpline International is the global network of more than 150 independent child helplines in over 130 countries and territories around the world. Members of our network reported receiving almost 13 million contacts from children and young people in 2022, and almost four million of these contacts received further counselling, support, advice and protection.
Child helplines are most often the first point of contact for children who are in need of support and protection. Child Helpline International collects data and this exceptional resource is used to advocate on behalf of children and young people, to make their lives safer by highlighting the gaps in child protection systems.
Child Helpline International is a registered non-profit Foundation (stichting) registered in the Netherlands (2003).
Child Helpline International’s financial year coincides with the calendar year.
Statement by the Former Chair of the Supervisory Board
I am proud to present Child Helpline International’s Annual Accounts for 2024. Once again, the year underscored the critical importance of Child Helpline International’s mission to ensure that every child and young person around the world has access to the help and protection they need.
I would like to take this opportunity to re-emphasize the four key recommendations that guide its work and vision:
● Universal access to child helplines for every child and young person. To support the realization of the UNCRC, every child and young person must have free and unrestricted access to a high-quality child helpline offering support, guidance and referrals.
● Sustainable high-quality child helpline services. Reliable, long-term funding is crucial to sustain and enhance child helpline services, enabling them to meet the evolving needs of children and young people.
● Empowering youth voices in policy through child helpline data. Child helpline data is a powerful tool for safeguarding children’s rights and promoting their wellbeing. Beyond providing counselling, child helplines capture objective insights into children’s lived experiences, offering vital information on the prevalence and characteristics of help-seeking behaviour.
● Structured partnerships to end violence against children and young people. To end all forms of violence against children, partnerships are essential among governments, child helplines, child protection agencies and specialized organizations.
Child helplines have become prominent across various thematic issues. We have observed a significant rise in cases related to online child sexual exploitation and abuse, mental health concerns and general violence, and our child helpline members are there to address these issues and provide children and young people with the help and support, information and advice that they need.
Child helplines are a core component of national child protection systems, however more than 50 countries around the world still lack a national child helpline service. Child Helpline International’s vision is that child helplines will be available to children and young people in every country and territory around the world.
Child Helpline International cannot achieve its ambitions alone. As mentioned in its key recommendations, structured partnerships are not just beneficial but essential for ensuring the sustainability, adaptability and effectiveness of child helpline services.
In 2025 I stepped down from my role as Chair of the Supervisory Board of Child Helpline International, after six years of service, two consecutive terms, and fulfilling the role of Chair since November 2022. I want to extend my deepest gratitude to all of our donors, partners and supporters for their unwavering commitment to our work. Together with them Child Helpline International and its members will continue to make a significant impact on the lives of children and young people worldwide, ensuring that every child and young person has a voice that is heard, listened to and acted upon, no matter where in the world they might be, and that every single one of these children and young people has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and supportive environment.
With my most sincere appreciation,
Corinne Dettmeijer
Supervisory Board Member (2018-2025) Chair of the Supervisory Board (2022-2025)
Statement
by
the
Former Executive Director
Reflecting on the year 2024, I am proud to highlight the significant progress Child Helpline International made in strengthening its global network and furthering its mission to ensure that every child has access to the support they need, wherever and whenever they need it. 2024 was a defining year, characterized by important milestones in strategic planning, programme development, regional collaborations and global advocacy efforts.
A key achievement was the endorsement of our MultiAnnual Strategic Plan for 2025-2030, which represents a collective vision for the future of child helplines worldwide. The Theory of Change envisions a world where every child or young person has access to a high-quality child helpline, supported by a robust and responsive national child protection system. In this context, Child Helpline International will continue to focus on strengthening child helplines, fostering cross-sector collaboration, and advocating for systemic changes that will ensure the voices of children and young people are heard and their needs are met.
Throughout 2024, we remained agile and responsive to the ongoing crises affecting children across the globe. The war in Ukraine, the ongoing conflict in Gaza, and other global challenges called for swift action. Our network mobilized quickly, providing critical support to child helplines and frontline organizations most affected by these crises. Our Ukrainian Crisis Response project is a prime example of the power of collaboration. This initiative allowed us to provide specialized training, resources, and support to child helplines in affected areas, ensuring that vulnerable children received the care and attention they desperately needed during these tumultuous times.
Regional consultations in Europe and the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) regions played an essential role in fostering closer ties among child helplines, enabling members to share best practices and discuss the unique challenges faced by their regions. Discussions centred around conflict, resource limitations, and complex child protection systems, with many members sharing inspiring stories of resilience and culturally informed, traumasensitive responses to issues such as violence, exploitation, and emergencies. These consultations reinforced the importance of collective learning and solidarity in advancing child protection across different contexts.
One of the most notable moments of 2024 was our participation in the 1st Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children in Bogotá, Colombia. With over 1,400 participants from governments, civil society, and the private sector, the conference underscored the urgent need for global action to protect children from violence. At this landmark event, we launched the “Unheard Voices” campaign, which aims to bring attention to the more than 50 countries worldwide that still lack child helplines. This campaign is a call to action for governments, organizations and stakeholders to bridge the gaps in national child protection systems, ensuring that no child is left without the support they need.
Child Helpline International remains committed to adapting its strategies to meet the evolving needs of children and young people in an increasingly complex and challenging world. The resilience and dedication of its member child helplines, who continue to provide vital support to children and young people in every corner of the globe, is an ongoing source of inspiration. In a year marked by challenges, they once again demonstrated the crucial role of they play in ensuring that every child’s voice is heard and every child receives the protection and support they deserve.
In closing, I want to express my immense pride and gratitude for the tireless efforts of our global network and Child Helpline International team, and my heartfelt thanks to the partners and allies who continue to stand with them in their vital mission. Together, they will continue to build a future where every child’s voice is heard, their rights are respected, and they are safe, supported and empowered to thrive.
Patrick Krens Executive Director (2019-2025)
Who We Are
Child Helpline International (CHI) is a collective impact organization with more than 150 members in over 130 countries and territories around the world. We coordinate information, viewpoints, knowledge and data from our child helpline members, partners and external sources. This exceptional resource is used to support child protection systems globally, regionally and nationally, and to help our members advocate for the rights of children and amplify their voices.
Every year, child helplines around the globe respond to millions of calls from children and young people and provide crucial counselling services. Until the founding of CHI in 2003, these organizations did their work in isolation with no access to one another. Now, we are working together every day to bring children’s voices to policymakers and influencers.
Every child has a voice, and we make sure that the world hears, listens to and acts upon those voices.
Our vision
A world where the voices of children and young people are heard and listened to, and their rights are realized, protected and ensured.
Our mission
As a global network we share research, data, knowledge and experiences to enhance the quality of response to children and young people in need of protection, support and guidance, and to advocate for their rights.
Our Core Values
● Agile: we are dynamic and flexible.
● Diverse: we represent many voices, members and cultures.
● Driven: we are purposeful, we speak out.
● Transparent: we are open and trustworthy.
Our Added Value
Child helplines provide children and young people with unique, accessible opportunities to express their thoughts, feelings and needs, and to seek help on their own terms without fear or inhibition. Through their own responses and using the knowledge they gain from the children and young people they come into contact with, child helplines advocate on their behalf. Our network exists because child helplines around the world gain strength through working collectively to express shared ideals, values and beliefs. Our value-add is our unique composition, way of working and level of impact. Each child helpline member and strategic partner has its own background, characteristics and local expertise and experience. Bringing information, viewpoints, knowledge and data from our members and our partners together leads to new insights into the wellbeing of children and young people on the national, regional and global levels.
Because our network is global and diverse –consisting of governmental, civil society and nongovernmental organizations – and because our members are in direct contact with millions of children and young people, we will create substantial impact and real, lasting positive social change, both as a global network and as individual child helplines at the local level. Together with our members, we will use shared and combined insights to influence policymakers and decision-makers while advocating for improvements in child protection systems.
Context and Operating Environment
We operate as a global network of independent child helpline service providers, harmonized in their commitment to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). As a network coordinator and steward, we play a pivotal role in setting Core Quality Standards (CQS), collecting and analysing data and fostering collaboration among our child helpline members. This coordination strengthens the capacity of child helplines, positioning them as crucial components within national child protection systems. Child helplines are universally acknowledged as child-friendly access points for protection services, acting as a bridge between children and the support systems that can prevent and respond to violence, abuse and neglect. However, many children lack awareness or access to these services, limiting their ability to seek help. This gap emphasizes the need for a systems-based approach: establishing quality child helplines in every UN Member State to enhance access, support service delivery and create a universal mechanism for reporting and data collection.
Key Assumptions and Preconditions
Our Theory of Change is built upon several foundational assumptions that, while beyond our direct control, shape the broader context in which we operate:
● National child protection systems must exist and recognize the legal definition of a child and their rights, as outlined in the UNCRC.
● National legislation in many countries provides the legal framework that allows child helplines to operate within child protection systems.
● Systemic challenges such as gaps in implementation and functioning of child protection systems persist, despite efforts to strengthen them. A lack of investment and awareness among governments and service providers contributes to these ongoing issues.
Addressing Systemic Gaps
Despite significant progress, systemic issues — such as the limited domestic investment in child protection systems — continue to hinder the effectiveness of child helplines. We recognize that child helplines can only function effectively when the surrounding system is strong. Through direct contact with children, these systemic weaknesses become apparent, reinforcing the need for data-driven advocacy and intervention. The prevalence of violence against children remains a critical issue, with global initiatives such as the Inspire Technical Package and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calling for an end to violence.
As we approach the 2030 deadline for the SDGs, violence against children persists, with half of the world’s children and young people still affected. Our work aims to contribute to the achievement of these global goals by expanding the reach and effectiveness of child helplines as key components of national systems.
2024: A Year of Transition and Planning for 2025-2030
In 2024, we embarked on a year of transition as we worked on developing our Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) for the period 2025-2030. This planning year focused on refining our strategic vision to adapt to the evolving needs of children worldwide, ensuring that our future initiatives will continue to strengthen child protection systems and empower child helplines to respond to the challenges ahead.
Strategic Vision
Our Theory of Change envisions a world in which every child or young person has access to a highquality child helpline that operates within a robust and responsive national child protection system. By focusing on strengthening child helplines, fostering collaboration across sectors and advocating for systemic change, we seek to amplify the voices of children and young people, enabling them to be heard and supported.
In conclusion, our strategic focus on addressing gaps in child protection systems, improving awareness, and creating sustainable, quality child helplines across all regions is key to achieving our mission: ensuring that every child’s voice is heard, and that every child receives the support they need.
Strategic Planning
In 2024, we successfully completed and received approval for our Multi-Annual Strategic Plan 2025-2030, which was ratified by the Assembly of Child Helplines. This strategic plan outlines our priorities and vision for the coming years, ensuring that our work remains aligned with our mission and adapts to the evolving needs of our global network.
Below is a summary of the objectives and outcomes for the strategic period 2025-2030.
Objective Expected Outcomes
Objective 1. Expand the reach and strengthen the capacity and quality of child helplines to ensure access to a high-quality child helpline for all children.
Objective 2. Strengthen the network of child helplines to respond to increased digitization of society.
Objective 3. Enhance reliable and detailed child helpline data collection on the voices and lived experiences of children to inform policy and practice.
Objective 4. Enhance recognition and integration of child helplines and children’s voices in child rights and child protection policy and practice.
Children and young people have increased access to a high-quality child helpline service, responsive to emerging threats and crises.
Child helplines have strengthened their capacity to navigate the challenges of digitization and are recognized as key partners by tech platforms, leading to enhanced integration, accessibility, and support for children within digital environments.
Enhanced reliability and detail in child helpline data collection leads to more opportunities in providing more informed and effective child protection policies and practices, better reflecting the voices and lived experiences of children.
(a) Child helplines are further recognized and integrated as key child rights and child protection mechanisms in policy and practice on national, regional and global levels.
(b) The views of children and young people who contact child helplines are taken into account in the development of child rights policy and practice.
Objective 5. Enhance sustainability and impact of Child Helpline International.
The network of child helplines is more sustainable and impactful at the national, regional and global levels.
Operating Principles
We operate as the global network of child helplines, structured as a bottom-up organization with a membership-driven governance model. Our operating strategies reflect this structure and our commitment to our members and their needs.
We maintain a multi-stakeholder approach, recognizing the diverse voices and perspectives within our network. This approach ensures that we remain responsive to the varied needs of child helplines across different regions and contexts.
Our primary focus is on serving our members’ interests. We prioritize fully promoting and profiling our member organizations possible, ensuring their work and impact are recognized globally. This strategy aligns with our bottom-up structure, placing member needs at the forefront of our activities.
Facilitating network sharing is a key aspect of our operations. We create platforms and opportunities for members to exchange knowledge, best practices, and experiences, maximizing the collective wisdom of our global network.
It is important to note that we do not function as a grant-making or donor organization. Instead, we focus on providing support, resources, and advocacy for our members.
In terms of financial management, we allocate all our costs directly to our strategic objectives. This approach ensures transparency and demonstrates how our resources directly contribute to achieving our mission and supporting our members.
Lastly, we are committed to supporting all child helplines within our network. We actively work to find and develop sustainable opportunities for our members, helping them enhance their capabilities and reach. This strategy reflects our long-term commitment to strengthening the global network of child helplines and improving child protection services worldwide.
These operating strategies collectively reinforce our role as a facilitator, supporter and advocate for child helplines globally, always prioritizing the needs and interests of our member organizations.
Governance
Our governance structure is designed to provide effective leadership and representation across our global network. Central to this is the Assembly of Child Helplines, which, in December 2024, consisted of 154 members from 132 countries and territories around the world. This Assembly forms the core of our democratic, inclusive and bottomup processes.
The Supervisory Board, comprising nine members including five Regional Representatives, plays a critical role in guiding our strategy, as well as approving key plans and budgets. In 2024, the Supervisory Board was led by Corinne Dettmeijer as Chairperson, with Dorothy Rozga as Secretary and Natasha Jackson representing the GSMA. The role of Treasurer transitioned during the year from Ymke Roosje to Mark Vogt.
Regional Representatives to the Supervisory Board, selected by the Membership for up to two consecutive three-year terms and supported by Deputies, oversee regional activities and contribute to Regional and International Consultations.
Our multi-layered governance structure ensures that we remain responsive to our members’ needs while providing strong leadership and strategic direction in our crucial work supporting child helplines worldwide.
The Regional Representatives until 9 July 2024 were:
● Africa: Florence Chileshe-Nkhuwa (Lifeline/Childline Zambia)
● Americas & The Caribbean: Vacancy [following the stepping down of the late Errol Zebeda (Telefon pa Hubentud, Aruba) and Diego Riveros (Línea Libre, Chile)]
● Asia-Pacific: Madhav Pradhan (CWIN, Nepal)
● Europe: Magnus Jägerskog (BRIS, Sweden)
● MENA: Ohaila Shomar (Sawa, Palestine)
Following the Assembly of Child Helplines on 10 July 2024, Regional Representatives were selected for the 2024-2027 term:
● Africa: Michael Marwa (Tanzania National Child Helpline)
● Americas & The Caribbean: Alisa Simon (Kids Help Phone, Canada)
● Asia-Pacific: Madhav Pradhan (CWIN, Nepal)
● Europe: Magnus Jägerskog (BRIS, Sweden)
● MENA: Ohaila Shomar (SAWA, Palestine)
The following were appointed as Deputies:
● Africa: Rati Moyo (Childline Zimbabwe)
● Americas & The Caribbean: Leevun Solomon (Childline Trinidad & Tobago)
● Asia-Pacific: Tony FitzGerald (Kids Helpline, Australia)
● Europe: Piji Protopsaltis (The Smile of the Child, Greece)
● MENA: Ola Al Omari (Jordan River Foundation)
The Management Board, which in 2024 included Executive Director Patrick Krens and Director of Partnerships & Operations Helen Mason, oversees daily operations and implements strategies in line with the organization’s mission. The Management Team, which sees the Management Board supported by the Data & Research Manager and Regional Manager for Europe, guided the CHI team, which includes staff, consultants and volunteers.
We also benefit from the expertise of Special Advisors, including founder Jeroo Billimoria and respected child rights experts Marta Santos Pais and Benyam Dawit Mezmur.
People & Culture
We operate with a core team of 11 experienced staff members who oversee key operational areas, supported by skilled volunteers and consultants.
We prioritize effective People Operations by regularly updating our guidelines and Employee Handbook to ensure alignment with evolving legal requirements, industry standards, and best practices. Built on the principles of JEDI – Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion – our approach to People & Culture is continuously reviewed.
In 2024, we held two in-person team meetings and several internal knowledge-sharing sessions, covering topics such as Project Management, NonViolent Communication, Time and Task Management, Fundraising, and a three-part series on Principles for Effective Programming to Prevent and Respond to Child Exploitation.
2024 also saw personnel changes. Our Finance Officer, Priya Raniga-Puaar, left at the end of April, and our former Finance Officer Kees Ligterink rejoined the team and continues with the organization. In the autumn, we bid farewell to our EC Project Coordinator, Angharad Wells, and welcomed Joyce Karigia as the Project Coordinator for our “Voice Up Africa” project.
Our Members
Our members are independent organizations, and we work alongside more than 150 members from over 130 countries and territories around the world.
Please visit http://www.childhelplineinternational.org/ members/ to see a list of current members.
Joining our network
We offer two types of membership for organizations providing counselling and listening services to children and young people:
● Full Membership for established child helplines meeting specific criteria.
● Provisional Membership for organizations starting up or planning to launch a child helpline.
Joining our network provides numerous benefits, including access to policy and decision-making platforms, a sense of community, knowledge sharing and capacity building opportunities. Members gain advocacy support with national governments and international bodies, participate in consultations and knowledge exchanges, receive invitations to events, and secure voting rights at the Assembly of Child Helplines. Additionally, members can access our global network, data resources and training opportunities, while also benefiting from the use of our brand to signify quality services. To join, interested organizations can find application documents on our website, allowing them to become part of a supportive community dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people worldwide.
What is a child helpline?
A child helpline is an essential service that provides free, confidential support to children and young people via phone, text or online platforms. It serves as a crucial lifeline for those facing various challenges, including abuse, neglect, mental health issues and other concerns. Child helplines are important because they offer immediate, accessible assistance to vulnerable children and young people who may not have other safe avenues for seeking help. They play a vital role in child protection systems by providing a trusted point of contact for children to express their fears, ask questions, and receive guidance. Moreover, child helplines often act as early warning systems, identifying emerging issues affecting children and young people, and informing policy makers and child protection agencies. By offering a compassionate ear and professional support, these services contribute significantly to the safety, wellbeing and empowerment of children and young people worldwide.
Role of Child Helpline International and its network We play a crucial role as the global network of child helplines, serving as a unifying force and support system for its members worldwide. As a network organization, we fulfil several key functions:
Coordination and Collaboration: We facilitate cooperation among child helplines across different countries and regions. It provides a platform for members to share experiences, best practices, and innovative solutions, fostering a collaborative environment that strengthens the global child protection ecosystem.
Capacity Building: We support our members by offering training, technical assistance and resources to enhance their operational capabilities. This includes guidance on improving counselling skills, implementing new technologies and adapting to emerging challenges in child protection.
Advocacy and Representation: We serve as a collective voice for its members on international platforms. It advocates for the rights of children and the importance of child helplines in global forums, influencing policies and raising awareness about child protection issues.
Data Collection and Research: By aggregating data from our member child helplines, we can provide valuable insights into the issues affecting children and young people globally. This data informs research, policy recommendations and targeted interventions to address the most pressing concerns facing children.
Quality Assurance: We work to establish and promote quality standards for child helplines. This ensures that children receive consistent, high-quality support regardless of their location.
Resource Mobilization: While not a grant-making organization, we nevertheless help our members identify funding opportunities and build partnerships with donors and supporters.
Knowledge Hub: We act as a central repository of information and expertise on child helpline operations and child protection. We disseminate this knowledge through publications, webinars and conferences, keeping our members informed about the latest developments in the field.
Emergency Response Support: In times of crisis or emergencies affecting children, we coordinate responses and provide additional support to affected members.
Innovation Catalyst: By identifying and sharing innovative practices from around the world, we encourage the adoption of new approaches and technologies to improve child helpline services.
Network Expansion: We work to establish child helplines in countries and territories where they don’t exist, and we support the growth and sustainability of existing ones. As a network, we amplify the impact of individual child helplines, creating a powerful global movement for child protection. Our role is pivotal in ensuring that children worldwide have access to quality support services and that their voices are heard and acted upon at both national and international levels.
Why should every country have a national child helpline?
● Child-centred support: Child helplines provide a rights-based, child-centred approach to support children and young people in crisis or distress, potentially preventing further harm. Child helplines offer children a secure environment to express their concerns and be heard, crucial for their mental health and wellbeing.
● Accessible and reliable service: A national child helpline ensures all children and young people, regardless of location or background, have access to free, confidential, and reliable support.
● Early identification of issues: Child helplines allow for early detection and intervention in cases of violence, abuse, or other serious issues affecting children’s welfare.
● Data-driven advocacy: Child helplines gather valuable data on children’s issues, informing national policies and supporting evidence-based advocacy efforts.
● Linking to child protection systems: Child helplines have strong referral networks, referring children with other necessary support services, strengthening national child protection frameworks.
● Upholding children’s rights: The presence of a national child helpline demonstrates a country’s commitment to children’s rights and welfare, in line with international standards.
● Support during emergencies: Child helplines play a crucial role in crisis situations, providing psychosocial support and adapting to meet evolving needs.
In essence, a national child helpline is an indispensable component of a country’s child protection system, providing a universal, child-friendly mechanism for support, intervention, and data collection that can significantly improve outcomes for children nationwide.
Our Key Projects in 2024
As we look back on 2024, we remain steadfast in our commitment to protecting children and young people, and amplifying their voices globally. Through a series of impactful projects, collaborations, and continued advocacy efforts, we have made significant strides in enhancing the capabilities of child helplines and advancing child protection systems worldwide. Our work in 2024 reflects our dedication to strengthening the global child protection network, advocating for children’s rights, and ensuring that every child and young person’s voice is heard, listened to and acted upon. With the invaluable support of our partners, donors and child helplines worldwide, we remain focused on our mission to create a safer world for children and young people.
In terms of our multi-annual strategic planning, the year 2024 was a transitional year between the former Multi-Annual Strategic Plan (MASP) 2021-2023 and the new MASP (2025-2030). It was developed in close collaboration with our members, our Supervisory Board, our Youth Advisory Council, key donors, strategic partners and our staff and consultants. It was approved by the membership during the Assembly of Child Helplines that took place on 24 October 2024.
Formulated under five core objectives, the MASP outlines both the core activities upon which we are building our future priorities for 2025-2030 and proposes a set of actions for us and our members to prepare for, and align the work of child helplines with, the emerging threats to child rights. It also maximizes child helplines’ capacity to contribute to child protection systems change, through the amplification of children’s voices captured in the unique data that is generated through our network.
Our three-year governance cycle will continue (20252027 and 2028-2030) and a mid-term evaluation is planned for in 2027.
Project Donor CHAT-Youth
EC Sub-Grant, Ghent University; University of Madrid
Child Helpline Data Pilot Research/Trilateral Research Ignite
Children’s Voices Ukraine (CVU): Phase 3.1 Terre des Hommes Nederland
Children’s Voices Ukraine (CVU): Phase 3.2 KIND
CHIQual III European Commission
Empowering to Protect OAK Foundation
Operation Grant Ignite/New Venture Fund The Power in Their Voices OAK Foundation
Unheard Voices: Angola UNICEF Angola
Unheard Voices: Tunisia UNICEF Tunisia
Unheard Voices: United Arab Emirates Government of the United Arab Emirates
Duration Description
June 2024-July 2025
January 2024-June 2024
September 2023December 2024
April 2024December 2024
January 2024December 2024
CHI advisory and interlocutor role for CHAT-YOUTH research project. Support with outreach to our network, expert advice and attendance + presentation and CHAT-YOUTH Symposium.
Pilot project with one member to explore opportunities to improve the efficiency of obtaining data from members, aggregates the data automatically to increase reliability, deliver richer and more complex data sets.
The project aims to increase access and use of child helpline services by children affected by the War in Ukraine, and maintain quality of services through research, data collection, communications campaigns and translation of learning material.
Sub-regional workshops (one in person and one online) and two multidisciplinary workshops for national and regional actors, and bilateral knowledge/learning exchanges between child helplines.
Operational four-grant, 2024 was the third year of implementation. The project includes activities related to the Core Quality Standards selfassessment, and development of learning modules, data collection and improvement of reliability and access to child helpline data, as well as awareness-raising on child rights issues and 116 111 child helplines. Includes European Regional Consultation of Child Helplines and membership management.
Target Countries
All EU states members
USA
October 2021June 2024
30-month project until June 2024 with 2024 as the third year of implementation. Project focuses on improving capacity of child helplines to provide quality services to more children and young people through improved contact management (Aselo), Core Quality Standards and development of learning products. Also aims to improve data management through more reliable data collection, data storage, data interpretation and dissemination, as well as evidence-based advocacy.
Ukraine Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia
Ukraine Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia
All EU States
Global
July 2022-June 2024
Operational grant, general support for the organization.
Global October 2024March 2027
Global core funding focused on maintaining and enhancing core activities (Core Quality Standards, data collection and analysis) as well as strengthening fundraising approaches and visibility of Child Helpline International.
Global
September 2024April 2025
November 2022January 2025
December 2021December 2024
November 2024July 2026
Project focusing on assessing the services of the child helpline SOS Criança and improving the capacity of operators and other local stakeholders. This is done through an assessment visit and report (with recommendations and action points), as well as a training programme, to be delivered locally.
Scale-up project to provide technical support for the strengthening of 1809 Ligne Verte, including assessment, mappings, SOPs and training.
Build capacity of child helpline staff to better respond to children and young people through training modules, and linking with child protection services. Goal is to create conditions for setting up a national child helpline in the UAE.
2-year initiative in partnership with seven child helplines in the Eastern and Southern Africa region. Project aims to prevent victimization and strengthen survivors’ support; empower children, caregivers and families to prevent OCSEA and access early support; and strengthen national, regional and global infrastructures to effectively tackle digital harms to children. Joint initiative is centred around system strengthening and includes infrastructure updates, capacity-building, awareness-raising, partnerships and research, and is implemented in four distinct but interrelated phases.
Angola
Tunisia
United Arab Emirates
Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda
Evidence-Based Advocacy
We have been instrumental in collecting and analysing data from child helplines worldwide. As in every year, we collected data on from our members on the contacts they receive from children and young people. Specifically, in 2024 we obtained data from 80 members on the number and nature of counselling sessions they provided in 2023. This expansive dataset joins the existing data we have, dating back to 2019. The longitudinal aspect of the data and its geographic spread allow us to identify trends across time and location, such as the increase in Self-harm in European countries or the alarming rate of Suicide-related contacts from children who identify as nonbinary. This data and the trends that emerge from its analysis serves as a powerful tool for advocacy, highlighting critical issues such as mental health challenges and violence against children. In 2024, we published four data reports: Supporting Children & Young People’s Mental Health in Europe; Voices of Children & Young People Around the World – Global Child Helpline Data for 2023; Amplifying the Voices of Children & Young People in Europe; and Children & Young People Affected by the War in Ukraine. These reports were connected to online campaigns.
Partnership Engagements
Throughout 2024, we continued to collaborate with governments, NGOs and other stakeholders to improve child protection systems. We also worked to raise awareness about the importance of child helplines and the need for better resources to support children globally. We were present at the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect conference, the 1st Global Ministerial Conference on Ending Violence Against Children, and the International Conference on Family Law and Children’s Rights. 2024 also marked the Regional Consultation of Child Helplines in the MENA region. This consultation brought together a dedicated cohort of individuals from child helplines across the region, representing Algeria, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, the Kurdistan Region of Iraq, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Tunisia, and Dubai and Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
These engagements are crucial for building partnerships, fostering collaboration and strengthening the global movement for child protection. By sharing insights, data and good practices, we can continue to inspire action and promote the systemic change that is vital for improving the lives of children and young people worldwide.
Continuity statement
In 2024, Child Helpline International continued its focus on strengthening the organization’s operations and ensuring long-term sustainability, closing the year with a modest increase in the continuity reserves.
A detailed resource mobilization strategy for the period 2025-2030 will be finalized in the second semester of 2025 with the support of the Board and an external consultant. This will help secure the organisation’s future growth and impact.
In 2025, a new Chair was appointed: Dr Philip D Jaffé, chosen for his strong profile and network within the Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), to enhance our advocacy and representation efforts. Additionally, Patrick Krens, the Executive Director, indicated plans to transition to a new role in April 2025, and as such, an interim leadership was initiated in a timely manner, with Helen Mason being appointed to the role for a 6-month period, to ensure a seamless transition and continued success of the organization.
Core Quality Standards
To assess areas of good practice and areas needing development in child helplines, we conducted a networkwide Core Quality Standards (CQS) self-assessment and analysed the outcomes.
For the 2024 best practices project, we focused on CQS 2 (advocacy), CQS 3 (participatory), and CQS 7 (childcentred). The process began with reviewing CQS data and evidence documents submitted through the selfassessment. These documents were translated, privacyscanned, and analysed for good practices, which were then compared with practices identified in academic and grey literature.
Following this, child helplines were invited to participate in focus groups to determine which practices were most relevant, feasible, and applicable as “best practices.” Four online focus groups were held with 14 participants, who provided feedback on the identified practices. The data was analysed thematically, and three reports were produced.
The findings were then peer-reviewed by child rights experts to validate the practices, identify gaps, and provide expert feedback on the quality levels assigned by child helplines.
We developed three eLearning modules hosted on Moodle to help members understand and implement CQS standards. The first module, launched in 2023, focused on CQS 4. Two additional modules were created for CQS 2 and CQS 7, including examples, readings, and a forum discussion activity for further engagement.
Network learning
In 2024, we continued our commitment to strengthening learning and development initiatives across our network of child helplines. Alongside identifying learning needs within our network, we facilitated targeted learning sessions and evaluated the impact of these sessions, as well as assessed broader organizational outcomes and programme cycles. Building on insights from the 2023 Member Learning Needs Survey, we developed a series of learning sessions and workshops in 2024, addressing key themes identified by our members, including psychological first aid, fundraising, and advocacy.
The expertise and engaging delivery of the speakers, who shared their first-hand experiences, added significant credibility to the sessions.
Workshops and Networking Sessions Delivered in
2024
3-part series on Psychological First Aid
3-part series on Advocacy
Making It Happen: Execute Impactful Advocacy
The Most Potent Ingredients for Advocacy and Campaigning Success
Make Them Care and Take Action: How to Create Compelling Campaigning Products and Calls to Action
Accessibility, Inclusion and Child Helplines
Accessibility in Low Access Areas
2-part workshop on Securing Sustainable Support
Presentation on Sustainable Fundraising for Child Helplines
Q&A on Sustainable Fundraising for Child Helplines
2-part workshop in Children in Crisis
Self-Harm
Suicide Response and Prevention
Annual Accounts 2024
These Annual Accounts 2024 are a summary of the full financial report of Stichting Child Helpline International for the year ending on 31 December 2024. As stipulated by the Dutch reporting regulations for foundations, the RJ650, a copy of those full Annual Accounts 2024 is available upon request.
Balance Sheet as of 31 December 2024 (after appropriation of net result)
PRINCIPLES OF VALUATION OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
● The Annual Accounts 2024 are prepared in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the Netherlands. The Dutch accounting guideline RJ650 for Fundraising Organizations is applicable. The annual accounts are prepared in Euro. Assets and liabilities are valued at face value, unless otherwise indicated.
● Comparison with prior year: The principles of valuation and determination of result remained unchanged compared to the prior year.
● Foreign currencies: Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into Euros at yearend exchange rates; exchange gains and losses are charged to the statement of income and expenditure. Transactions in foreign currencies during the financial year are translated into Euros at the rate of exchange ruling on the transaction date.
● Tangible fixed assets: Since 2012, we have expensed all purchases at cost except capital investments (where applicable) funded by the European Commission, which are depreciated* at 33.33% per annum.
● Receivables are valued at face value less a provision for possible non-collectable amounts.
PRINCIPLES OF DETERMINATION OF RESULT
● Result is determined as the difference between income generated by contributions, membership fees and others, and the costs and other charges for the year. Income is recognized in the year in which it is realized.
● Costs are recognized at the historical cost convention and are allocated to the reporting year to which they relate. Depreciation is provided by the straight-line method over the estimated useful economic life. Tangible costs of fundraising in 2024 were negligible, amounting to small expenditure on online ad credits.
● Cash flow statement: The cash flow statement has been prepared applying the indirect method.
Notes to the Balance Sheet
Continuity Reserve:
We work to ensure sustainability of the organization so that in the case of a funding shortage,our international network of child helplines is not affected. Therefore, we aim to create a continuity reserve to cover operational and programme costs for a period of six months.
We do not wish to create any other reserves than continuity reserves. This six-month timeframe is based on a prudent assessment of the time required to source additional funding. According to the advice expressed in “The Code Wijffels” this reserve should not exceed 1.5 times the operational costs. On 31 December 2024, the reserve was well below this limit. The continuity reserve is built up by income primarily from private donors and membership fees. We have no investments.
CONTINGENCIES AND COMMITMENTS
Long-term financial obligations:
Our annual office rental commitments is approximately €28,000. The lease contract, initially signed for a two-year term until 30 June 2024, has now transitioned to a rolling basis with a three-month notice period for termination.
Statement of Income and Expenditure for 2024
Spent on purpose
1:
2: Develop Research and Data Management
3:
4:
Notes to the Statement of Income and Expenditure
The European Commission funding requires us to co-finance our award on a contractual basis; we met this requirement in 2024, which was 20% of the total project budget.
During the year an amount of €26,294 (2023: €36,999) has been received as in-kind donations.
Notes to the Income and Expenditure Statement (contd.)
Direct expenditure
Direct expenditure relates to those costs directly related to achieving our four goals, which are:
1. To improve quality and standards.
2. To develop research and data management.
3. To expand advocacy and campaigning.
4. To facilitate a sustainable organization.
Costs allocation
Child Helpline International is a network organization that raises money to cover the costs of serving its global membership of Child Helplines. This is reflected in our output model where all costs are allocated to the four goals as per the strategy as captured above.
Overhead amounted to €28,890 (€28,153 in 2023).
The accumulated costs of the remuneration (salary and social security costs) of the Executive Director amounted to €89,343.
The average number of employees during the year 2024 was 6.4 FTEs (2023: 7.5 FTEs). This average is derived from the calculation of 13,436 workdays according to the Verzamelloonstaat 2024 divided by 2,096 (total number of working hours for a FTE per annum).
The pension contribution charged to the profit-and-loss account amounts to €31,927 for 2024
Overhead: operational and administrative costs
These are defined as costs that cannot be linked directly to one of our four goals, for example, governance costs and audit fees. Please refer to Overhead – Page 20: Statement of Income and Expenditure for 2024.
Presentation of the income statement
The income statement is presented so that the expenditure against the objectives of both the current and previous years are shown.
Cash Flow Statement
Analysis of budget compared to realization: Significant fluctuations of 5% in income compared to prior year
Type
Income
Increase or decrease
Decrease on prior year
Cash at Year-End Increase
Explanation
Income was relatively high in 2023, due to the Ukraine crisis response project funded by UNICEF. This project ended in 2023.
First tranche of Oak funding was received in December 2024 and planned sub-grant was not expensed until January 2025.
Child Helpline International is a collective impact organization with over 150 members in more than 130 countries and territories around the world.
We coordinate information, viewpoints, knowledge and data from our child helpline members, partners and external sources. This exceptional resource is used to help and support child protection systems globally, regionally and nationally, and to help our members advocate for the rights of children and amplify their voices.
Child Helpline International
Bruggebouw Suite 5.08
Bos en Lommerplein 280 1055 RW Amsterdam
The Netherlands www.childhelplineinternational.org
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