Last year, NSPCCs 25-year-old ChildLine launched an online version of its call-centre service. Children who wanted to get in touch about a range of serious issues could now write an email, send a text, or start a live web chat with a volunteer counsellor. The launch proved incredibly popular, with 60% of ChildLine’s counselling now read more »

Today sees the launch of Britain’s first ever mental-health clinic designed to treat stalkers. Contrary to sensationalist crime dramas and horror movies, not all stalkers are raging psychopaths- most are ex boyfriends or girlfriends unable to deal with failed relationships. According to the British Crime Survey, 1 in 5 women and 1 in 10 men read more »

A children’s centre in Leeds that local people feared would have to close because of changes to its parent charity, has received news that major refurbishments will be carried out there. The NSPCC centre at Bramley in Leeds is set to gain new counselling rooms, with work due to start at the end of the read more »

A charity based in the South Yorkshire town of Rotherham has launched a phone line, which is aimed at helping victims of sexual abuse and will allow trained professionals to listen to the psychological problems people suffer from as a result. The charity specialises in dealing with the issues people suffer from because of rape, read more »

According to a review published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, maltreatment during childhood doubles the risk of developing long-lasting episodes of depression and also makes patients less likely to respond to treatment. According to researchers, almost one in 20 individuals in the UK have this kind of depression as a result of childhood abuse. read more »

A recent study has revealed that mothers-to-be who experience high levels of stress during pregnancy can leave an imprint on their unborn child’s brain. The study involved asking 25 mothers if they had experienced extreme stress caused by domestic abuse whilst they were pregnant, before an assessment of their emotional level was performed. The researchers read more »

Addiction charities are said to have seen an increase in the number of young people seeking help for ketamine use since mephadrone was made illegal in April 2010. Ketamine users are usually drawn to the drug for its hallucinogenic effects, which many claim gives them the feeling of being detached from their body. For medical read more »

According to government figures, more than 80,000 people in Britain claim incapacity benefits because they are obese, drug addicts or alcoholics. The Department for Work and Pensions has said that over one quarter of those 80,000 had not been in employment for an entire decade and campaigners have estimated that less than 10 per cent read more »

Proposed changes to domestic violence laws in Scotland have gained the support of many MSPs. The changes which are detailed in the Domestic Abuse Bill, are aimed at improving justice for victims of domestic abuse. The bill was introduced last year by MSP Rhoda Grant, and is aimed at increasing justice for victims of domestic read more »

This year whilst many of us were enjoying Christmas with our families, Childline took calls, texts and emails from 1,005 young people in distress, an increase of 11% since last year. Childline Manager, Margie Rose explained that children who contacted the service this year on Christmas day did so for a variety of reasons, but read more »