Balanced News: ‘Higher ever experienced’: Calls for help surge to Kids Helpline

The number of young Australians seeking urgent care for suicide intervention from Kids Helpline has significantly increased over the past year. From July 2022 to June 2023, the helpline provided 4,608 duty of care interventions, with about half of them involving immediate risk of suicide. Tracy Adams, the CEO of Yourtown, the organization behind Kids Helpline, stated that this is the highest number they have ever experienced. Suicide-related contacts, particularly in Victoria, have also increased from 14.5% to 17.5% from 2018 to 2022. Early intervention and raising awareness of available resources are crucial in reducing suicides among children and young people.