For every call made to Santa we’ll donate to Kids Helpline
- Nearly 8,000 calls were made to Kids Helpline last December, including around 200 on Christmas Day alone 1
- Over the past year, nearly 6,000 calls to Kids Helpline were made from Telstra payphones 2
- Calls to Kids Helpline from Telstra payphones almost doubled in the lead up to Christmas last year, and total calls have more than tripled in the past year 3
For many kids, Christmas is the most magical time of the year, but for some, it can be a challenging period, bringing feelings of sadness and loneliness. That’s why we want to help ensure that every child has someone they can turn to on Christmas Day.
Across the weekend of 14-15 December, for every call made to Santa from one of our payphones, we’ll donate $1 to the Kids Helpline (up to a predetermined amount). Kids Helpline is one of Australia’s only 24/7 safety nets for kids, and this weekend’s donation drive will help provide funding for their dedicated counsellors who will be working around the clock this Christmas.
While no kid should need to call for help during the holidays, it’s critical that this vital resource is available at a time when it’s needed most.
To get behind this initiative, kids (big and small) can simply head to any of our 14,000+ payphones and dial #HOHOHO to speak to Santa like usual. Every call made will help contribute to making a difference in the lives of children and young people through Kids Helpline.
What are Free Calls to Santa?
Our Free Calls to Santa initiative gives Aussie kids a way to chat with Santa from over 14,000 payphones across the country. It’s a fun, free and engaging way to celebrate the festive season while also teaching kids how to use a payphone – an important skill they might need in an emergency. This year, we’ve also introduced special kid-sized payphones in select locations, adding an extra touch of magic and making the experience even more memorable for little callers.
Kids Helpline has additionally been lending a hand to Santa. If kids mention anything during their call to Santa that suggests they’re in trouble, Santa will gently encourage them to reach out to Kids Helpline or Triple Zero for support.
Kids Helpline is Australia's only free, confidential 24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25. Every 90 seconds, a young person reaches out to Kids Helpline for support, with more than 123,000 calls answered last year alone.
Their dedicated counsellors provide support ranging from being a listening ear to responding to crisis contacts, working with police, ambulance, or other services to keep children and young people safe from immediate harms, such as suicide, child abuse, and mental illness escalations.
"Some children feel a deep sense of loss and sadness during Christmas. These kids care so deeply about so many things and so many people. Relationship issues, particularly family conflicts, often intensify during the holidays. They rarely ask for more presents; they just want their families to be happy. Many worry about whether Santa thinks they've been good or bad, and feel relieved when they reflect on all the good things they’ve done that year. They are especially happy when we let them know that we can hear Santa's sleigh at midnight on Christmas morning. While we wish no child needed to call Kids Helpline at Christmas, we are so glad to be there for all the kids who need us.The funds raised from calls to Santa this weekend will support our 24/7 counselling services, helping us meet the increased demand we see during the holiday season.”
Dana Larkin, Kids Helpline Counsellor
"The Christmas period is a very family heavy time of the year, and some kids might have a tough time at home. It's important for them to be able to feel like they have support during what can be a difficult situation which the Kid’s Helpline provides 24/7. This year Telstra created its first ever kid-sized payphone, so I’m here as the tallest ever AFL player, and now potentially the world’s biggest elf, with the smallest ever Telstra payphone, to do something good for the kids. So, if you've got friends, family, kids, whatever it may be, get to a Telstra payphone this weekend. With every free call to Santa, Telstra will donate to this incredible cause and you’ll be able to help kids who really need it this Christmas."
Mason Cox, Australian Rules Footballer
About Kids Helpline
Kids Helpline is a trusted partner of the Telstra Foundation. As Australia's only free, private, and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for children and young people aged 5 to 25, it provides a safe and accessible space to connect with a professional counsellor who listens to their concerns and offers help and support around the clock .
About Telstra Payphones
Our payphones are free for standard calls across Australia year-round, helping people connect when they need it most. For young people reaching out to services like Kids Helpline, this can be a vital lifeline. Since making payphones free in August 2021, usage has tripled. In the past year alone, more than 25 million free calls were made, including over 300,000 to Triple Zero and emergency services. More than 4,000 of our payphones also offer free Wi-Fi, with plans to expand this to more locations soon.
*Telstra’s Free Calls to Santa donation drive will commence at 12:00am Saturday 14 December to 11:59pm Sunday 15 December.
1 - Figures based on Kids Helpline Calls from Dec 1-31, 2023.
2 - Calls from December 2023 to November 2024.
3 - Based on call data from October 2023 to November 2024