Contacting Childline

What is Childline?

Childline is a service founded within the United Kingdom that provides support, assistance, counseling, and advice to children residing within the United Kingdom; this service is available to individuals under the age(s) of 18 through telephone-based support – children experiencing difficulty, confusion, or traumatic events within their lives are encouraged to contact Childline through their toll-free telephone number.

Upon contacting Childline, the individual in need will have the opportunity to discuss personal matters causing duress with certified counselors in an anonymous fashion. In 2006, Childline was instituted as a department within the National Society for the Prevention and Cruelty to Children (NSPCC), which is a child advocacy charity group operating within the United Kingdom.

What Services are Offered by Childline?

Childline offers individuals the opportunity to contact trained specialists and counselors over the telephone in order to discuss matters considered by the caller to be highly-sensitive and private; these matters have been reported as ranging within the scope of adolescence, including molestation, bullying, sexual activity, abuse, suicide, anxiety, depression, and confusion – in addition to a multitude of additional issues and concerns

The Childline service prides itself on its merit of confidentiality and security; children are encouraged to contact Childline under the pretense that all matters will be kept private, privileged, and confidential

Childline avails itself to children in need who may feel as though there exists no venue to discuss personal and private matters; upon contacting Childline, children are given the opportunity to discuss personal matter sin an anonymous fashion free of judgment and scrutiny

Childline has reported that they wish to serve as a sense of hope within a crisis experienced by a child in need; in the event that an individual feels alone or lost, Childline provides a venue of support and counseling – this nature of assistance is provided free of charge

Common Issues and Concerns Shared with Childline Counselors

Although a seemingly limitless variety of adolescent trauma, tragedy, and concerns arise on a daily basis within the Childline service, amongst the most common are events involving abuse, bullying, molestation, and suicide:

Bullying – referred to as ‘Cyber-bullying’ in the event that it occurs over the Internet or within a virtual setting – is an act in which individuals are preyed upon, exploited, humiliated, and abused by other individuals without valid, founded, or sound reasoning; bullying is considered to be amongst the most destructive traumas sustained by children, which may result in depression, substance abuse, anxiety, and in certain cases – suicide

Child Abuse is defined as the mistreatment of a child by their respective parent or guardian responsible for the provision and maintenance of that child’s health, safety, and wellbeing; child abuse can take place in a variety of forms, including emotional abuse, molestation, neglect, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, and physical abuse

Contacting Childline

Although Childline was founded in the United Kingdom, vast arrays of branches operate on an international level. Individuals undergoing a sense of confusion, depression, or hopelessness are encouraged to contact Childline in order to receive the help, support, and counseling that they deserve. In the event that you are experiencing overwhelming feelings of depression, hopelessness, and confusion, please contact Childline of the United Kingdom: 0800 1111.

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