Abuse calls to charity up by 50%

Calls from adults worried about a child's welfare to the NSPCC's helpline have jumped by 50% over the course of the pandemic, the charity has said.

The NSPCC said it was now receiving more than 30 calls a day from grownups worried that a child is livingwithdomesticabuse, up 53% from pre-pandemic levels.

The charity warned the situation is likely to get worse as lockdown continues,andiscallingfortheUK Government to make extra provisionsforchildvictims in its Domestic Abuse Bill.

Thebill,hailedasapiece oflandmarklegislation,has had its second reading and is due to begin the committee stage today.

TheNSPCCiscallingfor an amendment that would legally oblige all local authoritiestofundcommunity-based recovery services for child victims.