The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has referred itself to the Charity Commission after admitting high-risk Childline calls were not immediately flagged to the relevant authorities.
NSPCC said that in 37 cases, details relating to at-risk children were not relayed quickly enough to police or other bodies to take action.
Chris Sherwood, NSPCC chief executive, said the charity was “truly sorry” that those young people may not have received the immediate support that they deserved.
The commission confirmed that NSPCC submitted a serious incident report to inform it about a “concerning incident” involving a young person whose disclosures should have been passed on to the police straight away.
A spokesperson for the commission said: “While the charity has identified serious issues of concern, we are assured that the trustees and the charity’s senior leadership are taking the matter seriously.
“We continue to engage with the trustees and we will monitor the implementation of improvements.”
Civil Society understands that NSPCC submitted the serious incident report in October last year but it came to light today due to reports in the Guardian.
‘Immediate action’ taken by charity
Sherwood said that once the problems were identified his charity took “immediate action” through an internal review.
He said: "A comprehensive renewal plan [...] is now underway to ensure that Childline is able to provide a safe space for children long into the future.
"This includes a £7 million investment in new technology, new training programmes for staff, volunteers and managers, stronger governance, oversight and quality checks.
“Childline will continue to be open and available, providing help and support to children and young people across the UK over the phone and online,” Sherwood added.
The commission said that it recognised NSPCC was taking “appropriate steps” to address weaknesses and improve its oversight.
An audit of high-risk contacts to Childline was also completed by NSPCC, the commission added.
NSPCC announced cuts to its staff numbers services last year, but pledged to continue operating Childline, originally a separate charity founded by TV presenter Esther Rantzen in 1986.
