THE Herald today launches its annual Christmas fundraising appeal, with money raised going to the leading child protection charity NSPCC Scotland.

Working on a number of fronts to fight abuse under the banner "every childhood is worth fighting for", the NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) has services across Scotland with the goal of stopping children being robbed of the chance to grow up in safety.

It runs the free and confidential Childline helpline for young people which receives calls from thousands of Scottish children each year and delivers tens of thousands of counselling sessions.

There is also the NSPCC's adult helpline which gives members of the public, parents, carers and professionals free advice and support if they have concerns a child may be being abused or otherwise at risk. This helpline has also increasingly provided support to victims of childhood abuse coming forward in ever greater numbers.

Last year, more than 2,600 young people were placed on child protection registers. But a recent report from Scotland's Care Inspectorate warned very low numbers of children and young people are being placed on the Child Protection Register because they are at risk of sexual abuse, despite evidence the real prevalence of sexual abuse is likely to be much higher.

Whether abuse is sexual, ­physical or psychological, the NSPCC says without help, the scars it leaves can last a lifetime. But the charity says such outcomes are not inevitable.

As well as the helplines, NSPCC Scotland does vital work with maternity wards to help educate families and cut the risk of physical abuse among new parents. Its parenting-under-pressure programme in Glasgow provides home visits to parents who abuse drink or drugs, giving a lifeline to some of the most at-risk children.

It is currently working on internet safety, to cut the number of young people affected by cyber-bullying and advise parents on how to manage the considerable risks for children online. And it works in schools, taking safety messages and advice about what is acceptable direct to primary pupils.

Meanwhile, a Glasgow-based Improving Parenting, Improving Practice programme aims to reduce instances of child neglect by supporting parents to better understand their children's needs and to improve the bond between parent and child.

NSPCC says most parents want to do the best for their children, but if they are struggling with other pressures or had poor experiences of parenting themselves they can find it harder to meet their own child's needs.

Without support, this can lead to parents physically or emotionally neglecting their child, often having a direct effect on the child's health, but it can also hamper mental, emotional and behavioural development, with long lasting effects, even into adulthood.

The charity also takes a lead in promoting and piloting the best policy developments from around the world, and is exploring the use of the Minding the Baby programme, developed by Yale University in the US. Designed to enhance the mother's relationship with her child, Minding the Baby brings health and care workers together with the voluntary sector, providing an intensive home visiting programme for young, vulnerable first-time mothers aged 14-25 and their families, which lasts from before birth until the child's second birthday.

Lucy Morton, NSPCC's service manager for Scotland, said The Herald's appeal would benefit critical preventative work, intervening early in families facing complex problems, working to prevent abuse and neglect.

NSPCC is increasingly working with psychiatrists and psychologists to address the family trauma and relationship difficulties often behind abuse. Child and adolescent mental health services were increasingly focused on older children at the "heavy end", she said.

Ms Morton added: "The damage is often done by the time mental health professionals get to children. Our focus is on ­intervening early when there is a better chance to mend mental health difficulties."

"We are thrilled and delighted to be involved in this partnership with The Herald and to have the chance to tell people about our work, make them aware of the issues and to raise money."

l Childline 0800 1111

l NSPCC Helpline 0808 800 5000 To donate £4 to NSPCC Scotland and help protect children, please text HERALD to 70744

For terms and conditions, please visit nspcc.org.uk/smsterms

Contact us online for more information at nspcc.org.uk or email events@nspcc.org.uk for ways to get involved. You can also send to NSPCC Scotland, Templeton House, 62 Templeton Street, Glasgow, G40 1DA. Cheques should be made out to NSPCC Scotland.