Alex's Answer

Hi there, and welcome to Ask Alex. Thanks for sending in your question. 

It sounds like you have used the Childline service before and that you’re trying to gain access to your previous chats. Firstly, we’re glad that you were able to use our listening service and we hope you found it helpful. When you first registered with Childline for our webchat, you would have gotten a username and password to set up your account. The chats you had on that account would need to be accessed using the same username and password. This is the process for accessing your previous chats, and the reason for this is to ensure your safety and privacy; only the person who has the username and password that was made when setting up the account can access it. If you set up a new account with a different username and password, you won’t be able to see chats you had previously on the first account, this is also to ensure privacy. If you can no longer access your account or wish to have your data deleted, you have the right to contact our head office to discuss this. You can do so by emailing [email protected]. Alternatively, if you cannot gain access to an account you had already set up, you are always welcome to create another account on our website for Childline webchat. 

The Childline website has a section that explains privacy and data storage and usage in further detail; this might be helpful to read through if you have a specific question about your previous chats or accounts. This section of our website can be accessed via the following link: https://www.childline.ie/privacy/. Childline are always here to listen when you need to talk about whatever is on your mind. If you ever feel like chatting to us here in Childline as well as the chat service, you can call us anytime on 1800 66 66 66, or you can also use Childline’s text service by texting 50101. All of our services are free, available 24 hours a day and are confidential and non-judgmental. 

We hope this answers your question and that you find it helpful. Thank you for contacting Ask Alex. 

Take care, 

Alex.