A £20M appeal has been launched to mark today's 20th anniversary of ChildLine, the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people.
The cash will help the charity to deal with an extra 1,000 children a day.
Since its launch in 1986 the 0800 1111 number has been dialled about 100m times and the charity has provided in-depth help to 2m children.
ChildLine founder and president Esther Rantzen said: "In the last 20 years the charity has saved children's lives, broken paedophile rings, found refuges for children in danger on the streets and given hope to thousands of children who had nowhere else to turn.
"It's been a revolution in child protection, we have proved that what one child called 'That kind, caring voice on the phone' can transform a child's life."
The charity has 1,400 volunteer counsellors, but with the huge demand for the service has never had the resources to answer every call.
This means that of the 4,500 children who call for help each day only 2,500 are answered.
It is ChildLine's 20th birthday goal to increase the percentage of children's calls answered from 57% to 80% - around an extra 1,000 calls a day.
This year ChildLine merged with the NSPCC, which for the first time in several years means that the service can expand and even more children can reach the help and support they need.
Esther Rantzen said: "It is wonderful to now have the strength of Britain's best-loved children's charity, the NSPCC behind us.
"ChildLine's dream is to answer all the children the first time they ring, so it is wonderful to be able to plan to recruit more volunteer counsellors, open more lines and create new call centres.
"But we can only fulfil our promise to children if the public help us and support our crucial 20th Birthday appeal."
Donations to ChildLine's 20th birthday appeal can be made now by calling 0800 876 6000 or visiting www.childline.org.uk
