Children’s calls for help distressing

IT MUST be heart-rending for volunteers manning the Childline telephone service, run by the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, to take a call from a distressed child saying that Santa Claus has not come, because this is usually an indication that parents are misusing drink or illegal drugs.

Childline answered 678 calls from anxious children on Christmas Day.

Although 30 volunteers manned the telephone lines, many children were not able to get through, because all the lines were busy.