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Kids Helpline

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Kids Helpline
Websitehttp://www.kidshelpline.com.au/

Kids Helpline is an Australian free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25. Counsellors respond to more than 6,000 calls each week[1] about issues ranging from relationship breakdown and bullying to sexual abuse, homelessness, suicidal thoughts, depression and drug and alcohol usage. The helpline service receives more than one million calls per year.[2]

Kids Helpline is primarily funded from the revenue-raising activities of yourtown (formerly BoysTown) through its prize draws and house lotteries. yourtown and Kids Helpline are initiatives of the De La Salle Brothers. Kids Helpline is also supported by their corporate sponsor Optus, state and federal funding, and through individual donations, fundraising events, trusts and funds.

In 2013, it had 4,427 counselling calls from Western Australia children, calls related to bullying rose by 75% in 2018.[3]

Counselling methods

Phone Counselling

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 1800 55 1800 are free of charge and do not incur any costs from phone carriers (when made within Australia from landline or mobile phone services).

Web Counselling

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The person requesting assistance speaks with a counsellor through an instant messaging service.

Email Counselling

Sometimes an email response can take up to two weeks. It is suggested & recommenced that those requiring urgent & immediate assistance should contact Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800

Operational principles

  • callers are treated with respect
  • callers are able to access the same counsellor if they wish to call back
  • callers are encouraged to give feedback about Kids Helpline and the service they receive
  • callers are referred to professional services if needed

Similar services

References

  1. ^ "Kids Helpline - About Us". Retrieved 9 March 2011.
  2. ^ Baker, Carolyn D.; Michael Emmison; Alan Firth (2005). Calling for Help: Language and Social Interaction in Telephone Helplines. John Benjamins Publishing. p. 135. ISBN 9027253862. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  3. ^ Boddy, Natasha (August 13, 2013). "Bullies add to helpline workloads". The West Australian. Retrieved 6 September 2013.

Further reading