- It is important that adults who are around the children support and talk in the way they can, says Magnus Jägerskog, general secretary of Bris, who strengthens his staffing for the summer.
During the summer holidays there is often plenty of time for families to be together. Something to look forward to for some, but for many children, more time with the family can lead to a worsening situation already exacerbated.
This is noticed by Bris, among others, who receive more calls each year during the summer months. This year, however, a large increase in conversations about family problems and family conflicts could be noted as early as April, compared with an average month in 2019. The number of calls in that category has continued to be high even in May.
- In April we saw 60 percent more conversations about family conflicts than in a normal situation. There are also large increases when it comes to conversations about psychological violence and physical violence, says Magnus Jägerskog.
"Extra responsive ear"In many places, the children's normal contacts with various functions in society are reduced, which usually creates reports of concern. In the spring, there is much talk of shared responsibility and that everyone should be helped in these times, and in this situation, adults can make efforts for vulnerable children in their vicinity, says Magnus Jägerskog.
- You can make sure you have an extra responsive ear in the staircase. And if you actually have a concern that a child is hurting, that you also report a concern.
At the beginning of the pandemic, many conversations with Bris were about concerns about the virus itself, but now many want to talk about isolation, and that accessibility to the community's support functions has deteriorated.