Alex's Answer

Hi there and welcome to Ask Alex,

 

Thank you for reaching out. It sounds like you’re experiencing a difficult time at the moment, and we understand that it can be hard to talk about what’s going on for you.

 

It sounds like you’re wondering if it’s okay for a parent to hit their kids, as you have experienced abuse growing up. Is that right? We are sorry that you have had that experience.

 

It’s never okay for an adult to hit a child; this is against the law. All children and young people have the right to feel safe, happy, and be protected from harm. Have you been able to speak to a trusted adult about what you’ve experienced and how you are feeling? It’s important that you are able to get the right support at the moment.

 

There are a number of people whose job is to help keep children and young people safe. If you feel that you aren’t safe or the abuse is happening, you can call the Gardaí on 112 or 999, and they will make sure you are kept safe. There are other services, like social workers, who can also help keep you safe and support you. There are many different social work teams around the country, and you can find your local social work team here www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/duty-social-work-teams/. We feel it’s important for you to get the support you need at this time.

 

If you feel like you can’t talk to someone you know, you can always contact us here at Childline. You can phone us on 1800 66 66 66 or via Live Chat on the website at www.Childline.ie. We offer a free, non-judgmental listening service and are always here to listen to what’s going on for you, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

 

Take care of yourself. Know that you are not alone; Childline is here for you,

Alex