SHOCKINGLY two out of three people would hesitate to help a child who appeared lost or upset for fear of being falsely accused.

Results from a survey by the NSPCC revealed 64% of the population admitted they would be too afraid to step in if they felt a child was in danger.

But Scotland's leading charity Children 1st is changing that by empowering communities to protect their youngsters.

Almost 5000 people across the city have already been given the tools and confidence to make their communities safer for their kids thanks to sessions run by the charity's Glasgow Communities Putting Children First project.

Around 40 volunteers have signed up to take the message into communities after an intense eight-week training course.

They offer one-hour interactive sessions to communities, businesses and educational establish-ments and five-minute talks at events across the city.

Project team leader Theresa Marsilli said: "Child protection is everyone's responsibility.

"We find that we get really good outcomes when volunteers from local areas give talks about how they can safeguard children's welfare because there are some relationships there, they have a lot in common and understand the issues families are facing. These volunteers can make more of a difference and commun-ities respond well to them because they know they are doing it out of goodwill.

"It's not their job, they just want to help and care about the children and the parents living in the area.

"We have 35 volunteers across Glasgow from all different backgrounds and ages but we are always looking for more."

Hundreds of groups including schools, nurs-eries, colleges, hotels and other businesses have already had one-hour awareness sessions through the Glasgow Communities Putting Children First, which is largely funded by the People's Postcode lottery.

The community engage-ment project gives people the tools to help a child in distress or in danger without putting themselves at risk.

Children 1st has come up with a simple guide, in leaflet and pocket form, for everyone to follow if they see or know of a child who needs help. They call it the five Ds which includes direct support, distract, delegate, delay and don't turn a blind eye.

Mum-of-two Theresa, 40, said: "During the community engagement sessions it is interactive.

"It is not about us going out and telling people what to do, it's about getting communities involved as much as we can and taking that responsibility.

"It is about creating a space for people to have a dialogue where they can tell us how they feel about offering support and knowing that it's OK to feel nervous about that. It is not an easy thing to do.

"We don't want people to put themselves at risk but they need to do something.

"The message is clear - whatever you do, don't do nothing. There is always something you can do."

Three months after a community engagement session, volunteers contact them again to ask if they have put anything they learned into practice and so far 80% of the people asked to give feedback now feel more confident about taking action to help a child.

Aileen Kenny, from Children 1st, is concen-trating her efforts on getting the message across to train operators Network Rail and ScotRail because many incidents go unchallenged on public transport because people are too scared to act.

She said: "It's all about going empowering people and letting them know there is something they can do to help."

Volunteer Lynn McLeod, 38, a social care lecturer at Glasgow Clyde College, began giving child safety sessions last January.

She said it has given her a confidence boost and a new lease of life because she knows she is giving something back to the community.

Lynn said: "An advert came into the college for students to volunteer and I jumped at the chance.

"It's something I've always wanted to do and it has given me more confidence."

janice.burns@ eveningtimes.co.uk