3 chat messages for a child seeking help in Germany

More and more children are chatting when they need help. In chat consultations, sensitive topics are addressed in particular, even more so than in face-to-face consultations or on the phone (Hanley et al., 2017). In the anonymous chat consultation from Nummer gegen Kummer, people seeking advice often dare to talk about difficult and embarrassing topics and fears for the first time. Here they learn that they are taken seriously and that it can be helpful to seek help. The consultation also encourages them to seek further help if necessary or to confide in people from their close circle. The chat is uncomplicated, easy to access and helps to reduce psychological problems and fears in children and young people and to resolve loneliness. The corona pandemic in particular has affected the well-being of many children and young people. Currently, eight out of ten children and young people feel stressed by the corona pandemic (Ravens-Sieberer et al., 2022) and experts assume that the psychological stress of the pandemic will have a lasting effect on children and young people. But even outside of major crises, young adolescents have a lot to talk about: bullying, conflicts with parents, heartbreak, fears. Growing up is a challenging time for children and adolescents, during which mental illnesses often develop and manifest (Solmi et al., 2021). It is important to strengthen the mental health and resources of children and adolescents in the long term and to show mentally stressed children and adolescents options for action and offer support (Bujard et al., 2021) so that they can face challenging changes in their everyday lives. Chat counseling can provide such support.