35 vulnerablekids referred
LAST year the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) made 35 referrals to police or children’s services in the Western Trust whilst almost one third of callers to NSPCC said they had concerns for six months before making a call.
Margaret Gallagher, local campaigns coordinator for the NSPCC in Northern Ireland, said: “We understand that it’s incredibly difficult to pick up the phone, and we are really grateful to those people who do take action when they have concerns.
“People clearly have the desire to act but are unsure how or when to do it. What we would emphasise is that trained professionals assess the information given and either give advice and support to the caller or make a referral to children’s services or police if required. You can’t be expected to know for certain and that’s where the NSPCC can help.”