Calls to Childline reach record levels

THE number of calls answered by the Childline service reached record levels last year, with almost one in seven calls related to abuse and violence.

Figures released by the ISPCC yesterday showed its Childline service answered 294,908 calls in 2007, although more than half the calls to the number are still going unanswered.

Of the calls answered, 155,017 involved a two-way interaction, with the remainder often silent calls.