‘It’s really clear a lot of kids are affected’
NATIONAL Volunteers’ Week is shining a bright light on the dedicated heroes who are holding our communities together. NSPCC Scotland has thanked its committed Childline support workers, who have nurtured the needs of younger generations throughout the pandemic.
Between the months of January and April, 75 per cent of calls to the children’s helpline were based around coronavirus outbreak.
Katie Tanner, who has volunteered for Childline since October last year, has said that the pandemic has been challenging for children in Glasgow.
The 21-year-old said: “There has been a lot more calls recently. It’s really clear that a lot of kids are affected by the pandemic, whether it’s the virus itself or the media frenzy around it.
“They’re missing out on seeing their friends, going to school and just having their day-to-day routine. It has been a really challenging time for a lot of children.”
Due to the outbreak, the helpline currently has 30 per cent less volunteers – meaning that the 24-hour service has been stripped back.
Katie added: “It’s been pretty constant. We will finish one call then start another call almost immediately. I know the numbers are a lot higher at the moment.
“The loss of the midnight service has been tough as that’s when a lot of high-risk calls come in. It’s been really tough.
“There’s been a lot more of the suicidal calls and self-harm calls because they’re not getting a break from their own thoughts at the moment.”
The London music student who has returned to her South Lanarkshire home throughout the outbreak – and urged parents to “encourage their kids to talk about how they’re feeling”.