THE number of children calling a helpline in response to emotional abuse has soared according to a national charity.

In the North-East, more than 400 children called the NSPCC’s helpline last year – a 58 per cent increase over seven years.

Across the country, the charity says the number of calls have increased by more than 200 per cent over seven years with more than 10,000 contacts made last year.

Helpline staff say they are hearing accounts of parents telling their children they hate them or wished they were dead, threatening them with extreme violence and blaming them for issues they are facing themselves such as unemployment or financial problems.

Peter Wanless, NSPCC chief executive said: “Hearing reports from our Helpline about parents or carers who are consistently verbally assaulting, bullying, isolating or humiliating their children is devastating.”

The increased number of calls are leading to more children being referred to other services, with the number in the North-East rising from 209 to 338 between 2015/16 and 2016/17.

The charity is now calling on the Government to commission a nationwide survey survey to get an up-to-date picture of what children are experiencing.

The last survey was carried out in 2009 and published in 2011.

Mr Wanless added: “The huge increase in people recognising and reporting emotional abuse to our Helpline indicates people are willing to take action, but the disturbing truth is that the UK has no idea how many other children are suffering from emotional abuse or in fact, any type of abuse.

“We urgently need Government to step in now, before another eight years go by, and commission a study that gives us the clearest possible picture of the extent of child abuse and neglect in the UK.”

In 2016/17 the NSPCC Helpline responded to 66,218 contacts from adults concerned about a child, its highest ever number.

The NSPCC received 856 calls from children in Yorkshire and the Humber last year, an increase of 56 per cent in seven years.