One in every four calls goes unanswered because we just do not have enough volunteers

Vital service for vulnerable kids needs to double its counsellors to reach the young Scots wanting advice

- SALLY HIND

A LIFELINE service for Scots children facing misery this Christmas needs to double its volunteers to reach those in need.

Childline's Scottish bases are missing one in four calls from vulnerable kids after numbers of specially-trained counsellors plummeted during the pandemic.

The festive period is one of the charity's busiest times and hundreds of young people will be seeking urgent support for trauma like sexual abuse and mental health problems.

Now the round-the-clock service is urging more Scots to join the service and help ensure no call goes unanswered.

Big-hearted volunteers told the Record how they dedicate their time - including Christmas trying to make life better for kids in distress.

But Ian Angus-Felton, volunteer coordinator at Childline's Glasgow base, said it has half the counsellors it needs to function properly.

He said: "We saw a big decrease in both bases, here and Aberdeen, after the pandemic.

"Getting those numbers back up is difficult and challenging. We're getting there but we need an awful lot more volunteers across both bases.

"We don't answer anywhere near the number of calls we need to answer. That's just not Glasgow, that is nationwide because we just don't have the volunteers available.

"One in every four contacts goes unanswered unfortunately because there just isn't the volunteers there to pick everything up.

"That's hard when you know the volunteers are doing everything they can but there are still some young people who can't get through." Glasgow has seen a 40 percent reduction in volunteers since the pandemic and needs to double its numbers to 210.

In Aberdeen, there has been a 35 percent decrease, from 130. volunteers to 85.

Childline - run by the NSPCC stresses that volunteers are striving to reach every call, but figures show some young people hang up due to longer wait times.