Helplines and Advice

We've provided a list of registered charities and help lines that have been set up to help those experiencing emotional distress and personal crisis. All services offer confidential, emotional support and advice from trained volunteers and professionals.

Bullying
This is an award winning service that offers online support via email. Their web-site offers plenty of advice and suggestions on how to prevent or combat bullying and they also have sections providing advice for parents.
Visit their site at: www.bullying.co.uk

Cancer Counselling Trust
They offer confidential counselling for cancer sufferers by telephone or face to face, providing advice on the issues surrounding the illness. They can be contacted by e-mail or phone. All their counsellors have specialist training and experience in counselling people affected by cancer.
For the Cancer Counselling Trust call: (020) 7704 1137

Child Line
A free 24-hour helpline for children experiencing problems such as abuse, bullying, family tension and teenage pregnancy. They provide trained counsellors that offer comfort, advice and protection for callers. There are 11 centres in the UK: Aberdeen, Belfast, Birmingham, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Newton Abbot, Nottingham, Manchester, Rhyl and Swansea. During peak hours callers are diverted to the individual centres.
For Child Line call: 0800 1111

Cruse Bereavement Care
This charity was set up to support the bereaved and help them understand their grief and come to terms with their loss. They provide help-lines for adults and young people affected by the death of loved ones or friends. There's also an email service.
For Cruse Bereavement Care call: 0870 167 1677
For the Young Person's helpline call: 0808 808 1677

Elder Abuse
They aim to protect vulnerable older adults from abuse in relationships, friendships or through paid caring roles. They provide a free helpline that's open weekdays between 9.00am and 5.00pm, that can offer advice regarding what action can be taken in preventing or in response to abuse.
For the Elder Abuse helpline call: 0808 808 8141

Refuge
This is a charity that provides safe houses for women and children to escape domestic violence. They also have staff that can provide practical and emotional support for victims and sufferers of abuse. In addition Refuge, operates a 24-hour National Domestic Helpline that can provide callers with advice and help in finding refuges all over the UK.
For the National Domestic Helpline call: 0808 200 0247

Samaritans
They're available 24 hours a day and provide confidential support for people in emotional distress. They offer an unbiased, non judgemental service and can be contacted by telephone, letter, e-mail and mini-com. There's also a face-to-face service, available at their local branches.
For the Samaritans call: 0845 790 9090

Support Line
Member of the Telephone Help-lines association, Support Line offers help to individuals on any issue. They provide non-judgemental, confidential support and advice to enable the caller to find ways of coping with a particular problem. They can also be contacted by post and email.
For Support Line call: (020) 8554 9004

Terrence Higgins Trust
The largest HIV and AIDS charity in Europe, set up in response to the AIDS epidemic. They offer help and support including advice on HIV testing, treatment and health management. They also provide HIV counselling as well as practical advice to those worried that they may have contracted the disease. Their centres can be found across the UK.
For THT direct call: 0845 122 1200