A warning this next story addresses suicide. A funeral has been held for a 12-year-old girl who died by suicide earlier this month in Sydney’s inner west. Kids helpline says it's a tragic reminder to have an open dialogue about mental health with young people.
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00:00Hundreds, donned in pink and bows, gathered for the funeral of 12-year-old schoolgirl
00:09Charlotte O'Brien, weeks after she took her own life.
00:13She loved to be loved, and we love to love her back.
00:17Charlotte, I miss you today, and I'll miss you every tomorrow.
00:23Kids Helpline says 16% of calls made to them last year related to suicide concerns, and
00:29there's been an increase in calls by those who may be at risk of immediate harm.
00:33Those figures have gone up from about 37% of all of those type of contacts a couple
00:40of years ago to about 44% of those contacts last year.
00:44Charlotte's family has told media she'd experienced bullying at her school.
00:48Kids Helpline is reminding families to ensure they're having an open dialogue about bullying.
00:53Bullying thrives in an environment of silence.
00:56Once we start to break that environment of silence and we start to get it out in the
01:01open, we start to report these things, then we find that we begin to have a positive impact
01:07and we can start to address the issue.
01:09The 24-7 online and phone counselling service says the community should work to equip young
01:14people to look out for each other and themselves.
01:17We all have to take a responsibility here.
01:19We need to be that village that supports our children and young people, but also puts our
01:24arms around each other when things like this occur.
01:28A poignant message in the midst of unimaginable grief.