Every day, Kids Helpline answers hundreds of contacts from young people seeking free, professional support. In 2024, your tickets and donations helped us respond to over 130,000 contacts—around 8,000 more than 2023. 

For Alison*, a Kids Helpline counsellor, this call is just one of many she will answer tonight. But each one is critical. She knows that for many young people, this phone call is more than a conversation—it’s a connection.  

Since 1991, Kids Helpline has answered more than 8.9 million calls for help. And later this year, they’ll reach an extraordinary milestone: nine million contacts.  

Each ticket you buy, every generous donation you make, powers these calls. Behind each of those 8.9 million contacts is a child or young person in need of help. Let’s scale that number down for a moment and look a little closer.  

In one shift, Alison may answer dozens of calls. She works around the clock, but her busiest shift is after sundown. In fact, 75% of all Kids Helpline responses by counsellors happen in the evening or on weekends. 

While the world sleeps, Kids Helpline counsellors are awake and listening

During these peak times, the lines can get so busy that young people might need to wait an hour to speak with a counsellor. Kids Helpline makes sure they’re not alone during this time, and young people can serve themselves self-help resources.

Young people contact Kids Helpline for many reasons. In 2024, Kids Helpline counsellors answered 11,682 contacts related to thoughts of suicide, some from children as young as seven.   

Answering those calls isn’t about finding some magical solution to solve all problems. It’s about working together to keep that young person safe tonight—day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment.

Top five reasons children and young people reached out for support in 2024

Chances are if a young person is connecting, they want to stay safe, even if they don’t know how to do that right now. 

“I... I don’t know if I can do this anymore,” the voice cracks. 

“I hear you. I’m here with you, and we’re going to take this one step at a time, okay? Let’s figure it out together.” 

Did you know...

Last year, Kids Helpline counsellors intervened 4,632 times in response to children and young people at risk of significant harm. This has more than doubled over the past five years, with counsellors reaching out for emergency support on average 89 times a week. This might be to contact the police, ambulance, domestic and family services, homeless shelters, mental health teams, or another external service.

Alison stays on the phone with Charlie for the next hour. Slowly, the tension begins to ease, and the rawness of the moment starts to shift towards something more manageable. 

“Charlie, would it be okay if we called your mental health team together? I’ll stay on the line with you the whole time. Unless you want me to hang up so you can have some privacy, I’ll be right here.” 

Alison knows in that moment Charlie doesn’t have the strength to make the call alone. It’s a delicate balance—ensuring Charlie is safe and feels supported without pushing too hard.  

With Charlie’s agreement, Alison arranges a three-way call, bridging the gap between a young person in crisis and the ongoing professional care they need. 

As the call connects, Alison stays on the line, offering reassurance. In this quiet act of connection, Charlie is no longer facing their darkest thoughts alone, and that’s all that matters right now. 

Your support helps us answer the call

Kids Helpline is there for young people like Charlie, no matter the hour, no matter the day. Whether it's a late-night call or a weekend chat, counsellors are ready to listen, support, and help young people work through their toughest moments.  

For Charlie and so many others, Kids Helpline is the place where help begins. And we couldn’t do it without you. Last year, 43% of Kids Helpline’s funding came from the community. With your help, we’ll continue to be there—every minute, every hour, every day. 

Together, we can make sure young people like Charlie are never alone. The next young person who needs help might just be one phone call away. 

 

*This article is based on real experiences and scenarios; however, names and certain details have been changed to protect privacy. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or deceased, is purely coincidental. 

 

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