NORWICH – Those in charge of protecting Chenango County’s children from abuse say they have been bombarded this year with calls from a state-operated hotline.

After the first three months of this year, Chenango County Social Services Commissioner Bette Osborne told town supervisors that she predicted 1,000 calls by year’s end, or about 150 more than were received in 2006. Based on activity since then, officials in the Child Protective and Preventive Services unit said this week that they expect a total of 1,040 compared to 866 last year.

While Chenango County Senior Caseworker Beth Beers said the uptick is “significant,” only a very small percentage of youths are actually taken from the home. The calls received report abuse or maltreatment that could be of a sexual nature.

“Things have been publicized more than what they were before, but there has been no dramatic increase in serious physical or sexual abuse cases,” she said.

In the first six months of 2007, reports in all upstate counties rosae slightly over the last six months in 2006. Statewide there was a drop of about 4 percent in the six month period.

Often publicity surrounding a case of abuse raises awareness as well. According to court reports, in Chenango County this past year there have been at least three different suspects charged with raping children.