Child abuse helpline referrals in Scotland increased by more than a third during pandemic

• Adult’s mental health and behaviour was the top concern followed by physical abuse, neglect and emotional abuse –
• The charity calls for recovery plans of next Scottish Government to go beyond education and invest in a positive future for children –
• The NSPCC reveals plans for Childhood Day this June which will bring people together to celebrate play, raise money and help keep children safe –

The number of referrals made by the NSPCC child abuse helpline to agencies in Scotland in the last 12 months were almost 40% higher than the previous year.

The service made nearly 2,500 referrals to external agencies such as the police and local authorities from April 2020 to March 2021, compared with 1,781 in 2019/20.

Referrals are made when concerns reported to the helpline are considered to be serious enough to warrant further investigation or if it is felt a family needs support.

The figures echo concerns from the charity’s frontline teams that the pandemic has increased the risks of abuse and neglect, with children both more vulnerable and out of sight of people who can keep them safe.

The NSPCC is now warning that with most children back in schools and society, the hidden harms they experienced during the lockdowns will become visible.

The charity is calling for the Governments across the UK to invest in a positive future for children by ensuring their catch-up plans go beyond education.

In the short term, they must address the harm and trauma children may have faced in the past 12 months, but Governments must also use the opportunity to invest in keeping children safe and well in the future.

The charity believes that investing in support for very young children must be a priority for the next Scottish Government, because this is a particularly vulnerable stage in life when foundations for lifelong health and wellbeing are built.

It is crucial that there is substantial investment in public services – universal and specialist – so all parents in Scotland are supported to give their children the best start in life.

The top reason for referral in Scotland from the helpline was parental and adult mental health and behaviour, which increased by 86% from the previous year to more than 950 referrals.  

This includes worries about parental alcohol and substance misuse, domestic abuse and parental mental health.

This was followed by:

• Physical abuse, which increased by 42% to 490 referrals
• Neglect, which increased by 2% to 422 referrals
• Emotional abuse, which increased by 15% to 289 referrals

A parent from Scotland who contacted the helpline said: “I was recently let go from my job and I haven’t been coping well with the stress of it all. I’ve been drinking more than I used to and me and my wife argue almost every day.

“Sometimes the rows happen in front of our two-year old daughter – I’m worried what affect it must be having on her.

“Me and my wife have tried couples counselling in the past but it didn’t really work for us. I really want to get my anger under control so I’m hoping you might be able to help.”

To build a better future for children, the NSPCC is urging the Scottish Government to put young children’s social and emotional wellbeing at the heart of recovery planning. Investment to radically transform early childhood must be the legacy of this pandemic.

To do this, it must:

1. Undertake a Scotland-wide needs assessment to build a true picture of infancy across the country and where there are gaps in support, or systems which need to change.
2. Follow the blueprint set out in the Independent Care Review’s Promise report, build intensive family support provision, considering specifically what support families with young children need.
3. Invest in specialist services which support the parent-child relationships so all parents in Scotland are enabled to give their children the best start in life.

Sir Peter Wanless, NSPCC CEO, said: ‘”We’ve been hearing first-hand about the immense pressures families have faced during the pandemic and the heavy toll that has taken on children and young people. For some children, this has included experiencing abuse, bereavement and other harm. 

“The record number of contacts to our helpline reinforces the need for Governments across the UK to put children at the heart of their recovery plans. These must go beyond education and address the harm some have experienced so the pandemic doesn’t leave a legacy of trauma for children.

“But this isn’t just a job for our Governments. Everyone has to play their part in keeping children safe. And that’s why we’re planning Childhood Day on 11 June when we’ll celebrate childhood and encourage people to get involved in making sure all children grow up happy and safe.”

The campaign will celebrate childhood by bringing the nation together to play, raise money and help keep children safe. It will put a spotlight on what it is to be a child, whilst also showing we must work together to prevent abuse and protect children.