A CHILDREN'S charity has reported a significant rise in the number of cases of serious emotional abuse against young people.

Last year the NSPCC referred nearly 80 per cent more cases to local authorities in Scotland compared to the amount in the previous 12 months.

It said 320 people contacted the charity's helpline in 2013/14 and 217 of the cases merited alerting police or social work services.

The NSPCC said emotional abuse can take many forms, including pushing children too hard, inflicting degrading punishments and exposing them to drug and alcohol abuse.

As the school holidays approach, the charity is urging people to be extra vigilant to the signs of abuse and neglect.

Matt Forde from NSPCC Scotland said: "Emotional abuse can cause real harm to children and it's encouraging that more people are becoming aware of it.

"We are now referring an unprecedented number of emotional abuse cases to social work services and the police and we need to ensure these strained agencies are equipped and enabled to protect these children.

"This isn't about parents who don't buy their children the latest gadgets or trainers this is about parents who consistently deny their children love and affection.

"Abuse is not just physical but emotional."