CHILDLINE ADVICE: Childhood Day is a ‘rallying call’ to raise funds and awareness

This year’s national Childhood Day will be held on June 10, and we’re hoping it will be our biggest yet.

It is our flagship day of fundraising and action which reminds the public that everyone can play a part in protecting children from abuse and neglect.

As well as the Childline service, the NSPCC also has a helpline for adults with concerns about children.

Like Childline, it’s there whenever people need it, and trained practitioners can offer support, advice, and in circumstances when children are at risk, make referrals to external agencies like local authorities or police.

Here, in the North-East, the helpline made 805 referrals to agencies last year, around two each day, citing concerns about children.

The most common cause for referrals in the North-East was neglect, followed by physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse and online sexual abuse.

Worryingly, more than two-thirds of all NSPCC referrals across the UK were related to children aged nine or under, and we have estimated that around half a million children suffer abuse every year in the UK.

Facts like these remind us how important the NSPCC and its services are. But, as a charity, we rely on public donations for the majority of our funding – and that’s where Childhood Day comes in.

In coming weeks, you’ll probably start seeing advertisements online, on television and on social media calling on you to support Childhood Day however you can.

Whether you’re contacting our helpline with concerns about a young person in your community, or fundraising, donating or volunteering, you’re helping us help children and young people across the UK.

Childhood Day is our rallying call to everyone in the North-East and across the UK to raise money and awareness for the NSPCC.

To find out more, search Childhood Day online, or go to www.nspcc.org.uk where there is information about what’s happening on the day, and how you can get involved.