Bullying is Main Reason for Calls to Childline

Scots youngsters have made a record number of complaints about bullying to ChildLine, it emerged yesterday. More than 9600 children phoned the charity hotline in 2005-2006, up from fewer than 9200 a year before. Bullying is now by far the single biggest reason to approach ChildLine, accounting for a quarter of all calls. The overall UK figure for bullying calls was up 12% at 37,000. And that is only for the children who got through. Charity workers south of the border are particularly worried about the “growing” problem of homophobic bullying. Around 2725 young people phoned to complain they were picked on because they were gay or because they were thought to be gay.

In Scotland, however, the situation appears to have improved. ChildLine Scotland took just 18 calls from children worried that their sexuality was making them a target. That was down from 49 two years before.

The issue still worries ChildLine. Jill Hamilton, the charity’s service manager for Scotland, said: “These figures highlight the need for greater understanding of the problem and the need for children and young adults to be taken seriously.”