Children at risk this Christmas

Children could be left at serious risk of harm this Christmas because people are less likely to report abuse, the NSPCC warns today.

Calls to the charity's Helpline are likely to drop by up to two- thirds on 25 December leaving some children in potential danger when they could get help.

On average around 200 people a day call 0808 800 5000 to speak to a professionally trained Helpline counsellor because they are concerned about a child.1 But this level drops dramatically as the Christmas period starts.

Last Christmas Eve there were 128 calls but this fell to just 72 on Christmas Day and 103 on Boxing Day. The calls then returned to their normal levels.

John Cameron, Head of the Helpline, which is open 24 hours a day all year, said: "Some children don't get a Christmas break from cruelty. It can happen at any time, any day. But people seem reluctant to report cases of abuse and neglect at this time of year, possibly because they see it as a happy occasion and don't want to spoil it.

"However, this means some children could be left in dangerous situations when help should be on its way. Hopefully this year people will realise that a child's safety is more important and give us a call. We are here round-the-clock, 365 days a year."

Last Christmas many of the calls were about children being physically and sexually assaulted or being badly neglected. Three calls were serious enough to need immediate police or social services help.

One caller rang on Christmas Day to report a family of three young children who were often missing school and slept on bare beds. When the counsellor alerted social services it was discovered the youngsters, aged, five, seven and nine, had walked over a mile to their grandparents for Christmas dinner because there was no food in their own house. The children eventually went to live with other relatives while their mother underwent treatment for a drink problem.

Another caller reported a four-year-old boy who had been badly beaten after stumbling across his father injecting heroin in the bathroom. The Helpline passed the information to police and the youngster was taken to safety.

The NSPCC aims to raise £50m for its Child's Voice Appeal over three years to expand the Helpline and ChildLine. 

Ends

Media office on 020 7825 2602 out of hours mobile 07976 206 625.
Divisional Media Offices:
North: 0113 229 9343. Out of hours 07929 201096.
South East: 01293 651841. Out of hours 07966 527987.
Midlands and West: 0116 274 7887. Out of hours 07866 545257/ 07970 746272.
Wales: 029 2026 7014. Out of hours 07977 127064.
Scotland: 0207 650 6767 (Glasgow). Out of hours 07760 2702021

Notes to editors

1. The NSPCC Helpline received 202 calls a day on average between 1 April 2008 and 31 March 2009.

About the NSPCC
The NSPCC is the UK's leading children charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. The NSPCC's purpose is to end cruelty to children FULL STOP. The NSPCC runs projects and services across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, including ChildLine, the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people. The NSPCC helps over 10,000 children and their families every year.

About the NSPCC Helpline
The 0808 800 5000 NSPCC Helpline is the UK's free, confidential 24-hour helpline for anyone worried about a child's safety. Trained advisors are on hand to provide help, advice and support, or take action on your behalf if you have concerns for a child.

About the Child's Voice Appeal
The government has pledged £30m over four years towards the expansion of ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline, but the NSPCC needs the support of the public to raise a further £50m through the Child's Voice Appeal, to make its vision to answer many more cries for help a reality. Everyone can support the Child's Voice Appeal at www.childsvoiceappeal.org.uk. To date the appeal has raised £21.8m.