Pat's Answer

Hello, thank you for reaching out to Ask Pat and asking how you can keep your chat private.

Here in Childline when we are chatting on the phone or on our online services, we always ask that you stick to just a first name, or a nickname. You do not give us any information like your family name, your home address or where you go to school. At Childline, we do not trace calls or use caller or IP IDs. Following these steps is how your chat stays private and confidential.

You do not have to go through anything alone. If you feel that you cannot talk to somebody that you know just yet, then Childline is here for you and we would really love to listen to you. We will focus on your thoughts and feelings and what is important to you. The services are free and available 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. The Team do not judge anything that you say or have done, we will listen to whatever you wish to share. As well as having a web chat with us through www.childline.ie, you can also contact us by phone at 1800 66 66 66 or by text at 50101.

We hope that you find the above helpful. Remember, you already have made a great attempt at reaching out to us. We hope to hear from you soon.

Take care of yourself,

Pat