Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Even though you have come to the end of your time with ChildLine, it doesn’t mean you need to stop getting support altogether. It’s important that as you get older and become more independent you remember that you can always ask for help. You should never feel like you have to cope with something by yourself.

People need help for so many different reasons, so there are lots of charities and organisations specialising in different areas. ChildLine is here for young people and we have to set an age limit to make sure we can focus on the areas that matter to you as you grow through to your late teens. That doesn’t mean you’re any less important to us as you get older, it just means you need a different kind of support.

Getting older can be challenging for lots of different reasons and often people find comfort in something that has helped them in the past. There’s always going to be endings – whether it’s the end of your education, leaving a job or moving home. Learning to cope with things ending is an important part of life. It can help to focus on what’s beginning next and to take with you the experiences you’ve gained.

Somewhere that offers support up to the age of 25 is Get Connected. They could be there to support you as they have a phone and online chat service. The Site is also a great place to go for information and advice for young adults.

If we know a young person we are supporting is turning 19, we usually make sure they know about our page Turning nineteen: Support after ChildLine.

Maybe this is something you could talk to someone in your life about to help you figure out what feels right for you. This could be a friend or family member, or maybe you feel like talking to a professional like your doctor for example. Your doctor is in a really good position to help you access support that’s appropriate as they should have access to both national and local resources.

Take care,
Sam