Barnardo’s, the UK’s largest children’s charity, has expanded the support offered by its helpline for families from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities this winter. The Boloh helpline will support families with young children at higher risk of developing respiratory infections. The culturally sensitive helpline will offer support in various languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Panjabi, Arabic, Gujarati, Amharic, Albanian and more.
Public Health England is expecting an increase in respiratory infections among young children this autumn and winter, particularly respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This is because some children have not been exposed to some of these viruses before due to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions. A&E departments have seen a sharp increase in children under five presenting with respiratory infections. Many of these children are mostly well, but with a mild fever.
Barnardo’s Boloh helpline and webchat service will help families understand how best to manage coughs, colds, flu, respiratory (chest) infections and signpost to other services for support. The service can also support conversations with NHS111 where translation or moral support would help someone have a conversation with clinicians.
As temperatures get colder and the common cold is lingering, it is possible for children to feel poorly and develop a cough or breathing difficulties. This can be very worrying for parents with their first baby and those who care for young children. Boloh provides free confidential non-medical advice, offered in multiple languages to support people caring for children suffering from respiratory infections from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic communities who also experience significant health challenges or who live in deprived areas.
Rukshana Kapasi, Director of Health at Barnardo’s, says, “Our Boloh helpline has done a fantastic job in supporting Black, Asian and other minority ethnic families who are struggling throughout the pandemic, in a wide variety of different languages. We’re thrilled to have expanded that support and our advisors are now able to help parents and carers understand how to manage coughs, colds and flu in babies and young children at home to help to keep A&E departments free for people who need them in an emergency. We can also provide interpreting and moral support during conversations with NHS111 where needed and provide information on how to access a range of other services.”
Barnardo’s Boloh helpline is a bespoke service launched in 2020 with funding from the National Emergencies Trust to support Black, Asian and minority ethnic children, young people and their families, and is one of a range of inclusive services offered by Barnardo’s. The helpline was initially made available for families and young people to access if they were struggling because of the Coronavirus pandemic. Now with funding from the Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Health and Wellbeing Fund, the Boloh Helpline is leading on this public health campaign. The service will continue to provide therapeutic support, and a live webchat facility, as a lifeline to communities dealing with issues such as isolation, stress, sickness and bereavement on top of existing challenges such as poverty, overcrowded housing and physical and mental health problems.
