1-2-1 counsellor chat

We’re sorry but we are having a few problems with 121 chat at the moment which means some of you might not be able to get through. We are working hard to fix this, remember you can still send us an email from your locker or you can call us. In an emergency you should call 999.

Using 1-2-1 chats

Starting a chat is simple:

Sign-up for a Childline account
Open the chat bot and select to start a chat
When a Childline counsellor is available, you’ll be able to type a message and get support

Our confidentiality promise

Talking to Childline is confidential. This means that whatever you say stays between you and Childline. We would only need to say or do something if:

you ask us to
we believe your life or someone else's life is in danger
you're being hurt by someone in a position of trust who is able to hurt other children - like a teacher, religious leader, sports coach, police officer or doctor
you tell us that you're seriously hurting another person
you tell us about another child who's being hurt and is not able to tell someone or understand what is happening to them
we're told we have to by law, for example for a court case.

Find out more about our confidentiality promise.

Can't wait for a chat?

Calling us for free on 0800 1111 is usually the fastest way to speak to someone if you’re not able to wait. You can also send a message to a counsellor any time and we’ll reply within a day.

Remember, in an emergency you should always call 999.

What if I get cut off?

If your chat gets cut off, you can always come back to talk. It can help to make sure you’ve got a stable 4G or Wifi connection.

You might not be able to get through to the same counsellor as before, but the next counsellor will want to support you. If you need to get through quickly, you can call us for free on 0800 1111.

If you can’t wait or get through using 1-2-1 chats, you can always send us a message.