CONTACTS to the NSPCC’s helpline about the impact of domestic abuse on children have surged by 30 per cent since the start of the lockdown, to an average of one an hour.

Helpline staff responded to 1,500 contacts about domestic abuse from across the UK between March 23 and May 17, resulting in an average of more than eight referrals being made to local agencies in Wales each week (66 in total).

The charity argues the increased risks during the crisis further highlight the need to ensure that specialist support services are in place in every part of Wales to support children and young people experiencing domestic abuse.

Currently, the UK Domestic Abuse Bill is at Committee stage in Westminster, which will be a crucial moment for ministers to listen to experts and recognise children’s experiences of abuse. There is already Welsh legislation, from 2015, which recognises children and young people as victims of abuse but parts of this new Bill will still apply to Wales.

The issue has been brought to the forefront by the COVID-19 crisis, with 1,500 adults telling the NSPCC’s Helpline about the risks to children who are trapped behind closed doors. Across the UK, 58 per cent led to referrals or a referral update to the local authority.

Vivienne Laing, Policy and Public Affairs Manager for NSPCC Cymru, said: “This crisis has shone a spotlight on children who are living with the daily nightmare of domestic abuse.

“We know that before the pandemic around one in five children have experienced domestic abuse and it can have a devastating and long-term impact on children’s physical and emotional wellbeing. The increase in calls to our helplines have shown that the pandemic may have intensified the damaging experiences of domestic abuse on children.’

“It is essential that every area of Wales establishes specialist services to provide support for children and young people to enable them to recover from their experiences and that there are sufficient dedicated children workers in both refuge and community services to provide play and therapeutic work while the family is in crisis."

Any adult concerned about the welfare of a child or young person can call the NSPCC helpline for free and confidential advice and support on 0808 800 5000 or via help@nspcc.org.uk.