Hey so recently i have been speaking to a childline councellor but im really really scared ..like im having nightmares and stuff that your gonna tell the police or something which i would absouletly hate because i used to have many arguments with my mum but their slowly getting better but im really really scared and i dont want you to break the confidential promise
Sam
Hi there,
Talking to Childline can be a really brave step. We want you to feel like you can come and talk to us, no matter what. And we understand how important it is to have a safe space to talk about things you might not be able to say to anyone else.
We'll keep more of what you say confidential than most other people or organisations. But there are some things we may have to tell someone. You can read our confidentiality promise, but it can also be good to ask a counsellor to help you understand when we might break our promise and when we can keep it.
One example where we'd have to tell someone else is if we believe a young person's life is in danger. And in every case, it's to make sure that person doesn't come to any harm - we always want to do what's best for you.
Sometimes we think that not telling someone else is what's best for now. If someone tells us they're being abused, we can often keep it confidential. But every situation is different. We understand how important it is to have somewhere to come and talk, until you feel ready to start making things change. We'll always be here to support you.
I can't tell you what's going to happen for you - and I wouldn't, as it's confidential between you and Childline. But if you're worried then the best thing to do is bring it up in your next chat with a counsellor. They should be able to help you understand things a little more.
I hope this helps, thanks for your letter.
Sam
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