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National | Hauora

Keeping tamariki and parents safe this festive season

Sleep, sickness, starting solids: there's always something going on when you're caring for children under the age of five, and the holidays are no exception.

Plunket Line, Whānau Āwhina Plunket's free 24-hour parent helpline, can answer any questions you have about your tamaiti.

Last year, the Plunket Line team handled nearly 110,000 calls and completed more than 800 breastfeeding video conferences to help whānau needing support from a lactation consultant.

That’s an average of 300 calls a day. The 50-strong Plunket Line team is made up of registered nurses, with call centres in Wellington, Auckland, Tauranga, Nelson, and Christchurch.

This service is for all as well and you don't need to be a Whānau Āwhina Plunket client to use the Plunket Line

“Plunket Line caters to speakers of languages other than English and Māori”, says Plunket Line Manager, Tania Dick.

Some Plunket Line staff speak other languages, while external interpreters may also be called on. People with varying levels of deafness are helped via a deaf relay service.

“No parent would be surprised to learn that the most common calls to Plunket Line relate to sleep – particularly how to get pēpi and tamariki to snooze,” says Tania Dick.

Plunket Line, Whānau Āwhina Plunket’s free 24/7 parent helpline service, doesn’t stop either.  Anyone with questions or worries about pēpi and tamariki this holiday season – even on Christmas Day, should call.