Childline

Childline is a UK based counselling service aimed to help those under 19 years of age. Childline is a part of the National Society for the prevention of cruelty to children (NSPCC), a British child protection charity.  

Its history 

In 1986 Esther Ranztzen, the presenter of a popular consumer TV show, That’s Life! suggested that the BBC create a programme about child abuse called Childwatch. During the creation of this show, it only became more apparent how at-risk children were and how little support there was for them, as many of the abusers were family members of the victim. 

After seeing how little support children had in those cases, the Childwatch team then began to discuss with childcare professionals from both the voluntary and statutory sectors how they should set up a free permanent telephone helpline to help and advice those who need it.  

In October 1986, Childwatch, a BBC special programme on child abuse, was screened and launched Childline. BT provided Childline with offices and a telephone number that was simple and memorable. After the programme was screened, Childline was quickly rooted in children’s minds as their helpline. 

How and when to contact Childline for support? 

Childline was established to help anyone under the age of 19 that needs support. Volunteers staff Childline, so you can be sure they want to help you. Childline says there is nothing you can’t talk to them about and that no problem is too big or small. There are many ways to contact and get support from Childline. 

Helpline 

The Childline helpline is there so you can talk to someone and seek support for free. The person answering the call will help in any way they can without being judgemental. Childline deals with any issues that cause concern or distress and treats them all seriously. Some of the most common issues include: 

• Bullying 
• Mental illness 
• Child Abuse 
• Neglect 
• Psychological Abuse 
• Parental separation or divorce 
• teenage pregnancy 

The helpline is a good option for those who want to talk with someone and wants help quickly. However, it is not a good option for those who don’t want to talk to someone on the phone or who can’t get any privacy to speak. 

1-2-1 Counselling 

1-2-1 counselling is contacting a counsellor online through a text chat. During this text chat, they will answer your questions and support you. This option is suitable for those who prefer typing or dislike talking on the phone, like that social anxiety. 

Message using Childline account 

Another way to contact Childline is by sending a message to a counsellor using your Childline account for free. The message can have as little or as much information about you as you want. However, to help you effectively, it is better to at least have your name, age, problems you are having and how they make you feel. So, the counsellor can at least respond to some of your concerns and ease your mind. 

Just remember the counsellor is there to help you and will keep things confidential unless they think they need to break it. 

This option is suitable for those who want to have time to write down their thoughts, be able to respond when they like or don’t want to talk. 

This option is not suitable if you want to speak to a person on a call. 

When messaging, you will usually get a response in the next 24 hours. 

AskSam 

Writing and posting a letter to Sam is another way to find some support. This way of contact takes more time as it can take a long time to reply, so it is not an option if you urgently need help. Sam also only replies to a few letters each week, so in some cases, it might be easier to look at how he responded to someone else’s letter that is similar to yours. 

Sign Video 

This option is for those who are deaf and can speak through British sign language (BSL), as when connected, you will be on a video call through a webcam to a BSL interpreter who will translate for the counsellor. 

This option is not for anyone other than those who are deaf and can chat using BSL. 

Childline’s confidentiality 

Childline is confidential, so calls are not recorded, and the call will not show up on any phone bills. The counsellors will write notes about what you tell them. Childline will only tell someone else what you have said if: 

• you ask them to 
• they believe your or someone else’s life is in danger 
• You’re being hurt by someone in a trusted position who could hurt other children like a teacher, sports coach, police officer, doctor, or religious leader. 
• You tell them about another child who is being hurt but cannot tell anyone or understand what is happening to them. 
• You tell them you are seriously hurting someone else. 
• they are told they have to by law 

How else does Childline help? 

Childline also helps you by providing you with helpful information using videos and writing. Another form of support Childline can provide is peer support through its message board. 

Using your Childline account, Childline can help you find support through their message board. You can share your experiences and relate to others’ experiences or have fun anonymously on the message board. The message board can help you talk to other young people that have had or are in a similar situation to yourself. There are 14 general rules that you must adhere to post on the message board. These 14 rules are: 

1. No talking about self-harm or running away. 

2. Do not share personal information or use links. 

3. No posting on older 

4. Don’t talking about unhealthy weight loss methods or anything that can exacerbate eating disorders 

5. No swearing or insults 

6. No off-topic replies and linking to other threads 

7. Do not talk about sex 

8. No giving medical advice 

9. Do not post a survey or questionnaire. 

10. No being dishonest or giving false information. 

11. No sharing fake news or trying to make people believe a lie 

12. Do not try to hurt other people on the boards. 

13. No sharing or encouraging illegal activity  

14. Do not Break copyright. Posting quotes is okay, but you can’t post large parts of songs, poems, or stories. 

This list of rules is just a generalised version of the message boards, so look at and examine all the rules on the website before using it. However, if you post something against the rules, it will be removed, and the administrator will message your Childline account to explain why. 

If you need support and are under 19, contact Childline. For those 19 or over who need help, contact either your GP, a therapist, counselling service or a mental health charity like Mind or Samaritans.