Im worried because what if childline knows where people live i mean you can get help if someone is in danger but we need privacy I mean call police if in need but not when were talking annonomusly
Hi there,
Your privacy is important and Childline understands it can be difficult to talk about things if you’re not sure what will happen with your information.
You don’t have to tell us your name or exactly where you live when you sign up for an online account or phone Childline. These details are private unless you decide to share them.
You can submit posts for the message boards and images for the gallery from your account without saying who you are or where you live. And you can write to me anonymously without needing to sign up for an account.
The nickname you choose when you register an account will appear next to your posts and images so remember not to use your real name. To help keep you safe, your posts, images and letters to me won’t be published if they contain anything that could identify you, like your full name, a phone number or the name of a school or club.
What you say is usually kept between you and Childline but there are times when other services might be involved. In some situations the counsellor might ask your permission to talk to someone else who can help, like your school or doctor. This means it’s your decision whether or not that happens. Remember, this is only offered to you to help other services understand more about what you need or to work together to help keep you safe.
Childline wants young people to be safe. If we think you or someone else’s life is in danger, we might need to tell someone. In an emergency this would usually be the police or ambulance service. The confidentiality promise explains more and gives examples of different situations and what might happen.
You can call, chat online or send an email about anything that is worrying you and its okay to ask more about confidentiality so you feel confident to talk to us.
Take care
Sam
You can talk privately to a counsellor online or call 0800 1111 for free.
You can ask me about anything you want, there's nothing too big or small. I read every single letter but I can only answer a few each week. My replies are published here on my page.
