Calls to Childline surged by 25% last year

CHILDREN in despair made a staggering 800,000 calls to the ISPCC’s Childline last year, a surge of almost 25% from the previous year.

The unprecedented level of demand for the voluntary listening service was far more than the organisation could cope with and some 300,000 calls – more than one in three of all those made – went unanswered.

Child protection workers are blaming the economic crisis for much of the increase, warning that children are being hit hard by the financial hardships and emotional pressures unemployment and spiralling debts are inflicting on families.