Child Helpline

When children are found living on the streets, experiencing abuse or neglect, or are separated from their families, every hour matters.

Our Transit Home/Child Helpline in Birgunj provides immediate protection, care and stability while we work to identify the safest long-term solution for every child.

For some, that means returning safely to their families. For others, it means moving into our Children’s Home or another specialist care setting where they can continue to grow and thrive.

Since beginning our work in Birgunj in 2013 and opening our Transit Home in 2018, we’ve seen a significant change in the challenges facing vulnerable children. Today, far fewer children live and sleep on the streets than when we first began our work. While this is encouraging, we’re now seeing increasing numbers of children working, begging or collecting rubbish alongside their families. Although these children usually have somewhere to sleep, most are still growing up without access to education and remain highly vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and child labour.

In response, we’ve adapted our approach. While our Transit Home remains at the heart of our emergency child protection work, we’ve expanded the programme to support vulnerable children living in nearby communities before they reach crisis point. Today, nearly 100 children attend our daily education programme, helping them prepare for and enrol in formal education.

Our team regularly visits nearby communities and informal settlements to identify children who might otherwise never receive the support they need.

Our Transit Home is often the first place a child arrives after being rescued or referred by the police, local authorities, schools or community members.

Here, children receive immediate care, counselling and a full assessment of their individual circumstances. Together with the child and relevant agencies, we develop a personalised care plan that puts their safety and wellbeing first.

Every decision begins with one question:

What is in the best interests of this child?

Our work doesn’t end when a child leaves our care.

We continue supporting vulnerable children living in nearby communities and informal settlements through education, outreach and practical assistance.

Our team helps children obtain birth certificates and citizenship documents, giving them access to education and services that many children would otherwise be denied.

Many children also attend our day classes and activities, helping them continue learning while we work towards longer-term solutions, including enrolment into formal education wherever possible.

Protecting children requires strong partnerships.

We work closely with Nepal Police, local authorities, schools and community organisations to identify vulnerable children, coordinate emergency responses and ensure every child receives the support they need.

By working together, we’re helping more children find safety, stability and the opportunity to build brighter futures.

Every child arrives with different experiences, needs and circumstances.

Some stay with us for only a few days. Others need longer as we work with families and partner organisations to identify the safest long-term solution. Whenever it is safe and in the child’s best interests, our goal is to reunite children with their families. When that isn’t possible, we help them move into our Children’s Home or another suitable long-term care setting where they can continue to grow and thrive.