Rise in overnight calls to Childline

Thousands of children and young people have contacted Childline counsellors based in Scotland in the middle of the night seeking help, new figures have revealed.

In 2016/17, the UK helpline carried out 2,635 overnight counselling sessions from its Glasgow base. This is an 8 per cent increase from the previous year when 2,437 sessions took place overnight - with children seeking help with issues such as bullying, family relationships, selfharm, suicide and mental health.

Counsellors at the NSPCCRUN 24/7 helpline’s Glasgow base carried out 38,044 counselling sessions in total in 2016/17.

Their busiest shift between midnight and 1am recorded 844 contacts last year, up from 603 the previous year.