A/HRC/16/56 areas; mechanisms are largely inaccessible to vulnerable children, including those with disabilities or belonging to minorities. Children voiced their lack of confidence in existing services and the fear that these may disclose children’s privacy and put them at risk of further harassment and reprisals. B. Child-sensitive counselling, complaint and reporting mechanisms 1. Counselling mechanisms 20. Violence against children, including sexual violence, continues to be surrounded by stigma and secrecy. Access to counselling, complaint and reporting procedures is thus imperative for children as well as adults who have endured violence during their childhood. 21. Research emphasizes that very young children, as well as children belonging to other vulnerable groups, are at particular risk of violence. For these children, special protection measures are essential to safeguard their rights and to ensure that they receive support from well-resourced institutions, services and professionals in a sensitive, relevant and ethical manner. (a) Developments at the national level 22. In many countries important initiatives have been undertaken to raise public awareness about the need to protect children from violence, to promote non-violent and positive child-rearing and parenting skills, and to encourage child rights training for relevant professionals. Children’s skills in violence prevention are enhanced through child clubs and debates in school settings and peer-to-peer initiatives, such as trainings and awareness-raising offered by youth for young people in community spaces. These valuable initiatives enhance the understanding of what child victims may endure, and encourage those at risk to feel confident in seeking help and reporting incidents of violence. 23. Counselling mechanisms also provide children and adults with advice and information on where and how to seek advice and support, including to lodge complaints or report incidents of violence.8 In this regard, significant efforts have been deployed by Governments and members of civil society, including through media campaigns, distribution of flyers and information on hotline numbers and access to available services. 24. Most countries that contributed information to the present report indicated that dedicated arrangements for children were in place for counselling, reporting and complaints on incidents of violence against children. In some countries, ministries responsible for children and family affairs provide counselling services, including but not always specifically for children, and offer services such as emotional support, information, referrals and practical assistance. Several countries offer special counselling programmes for victims of crime, such as youth welfare offices and children’s shelters with specialized professionals (for example, psychologists, social workers, lawyers), and provide multidisciplinary child protection teams in paediatric hospitals. 25. Counselling services are also available through community-based organizations. A number of countries also reported that counselling services are provided by multidisciplinary teams, including child protection specialists, law enforcement officers, health-care workers, social workers, and social pedagogues and psychologists working in 8 Guidelines on Justice in Matters involving Child Victims and Witnesses of Crime (Economic and Social Council resolution 2005/20). 7