It’s been one year since our vital helpline service FamilyLine opened its virtual doors to families across the nation. Since then thousands have called, texted, emailed and chatted online with our free and confidential service, looking for support with a range of topics – from relationships and money to housing issues and much more.
Contact with FamilyLine over the year has spanned a wide range of subjects – from domestic abuse to information about mental health and parenting, as well as the often more familiar everyday problems currently facing modern families of every kind across the UK.
A key theme, however, was the need for emotional support, which accounted for 13% of calls last month. Even in conversions not specifically about emotional support, people calling FamilyLine repeatedly highlight this aspect of the service in their feedback:
“Thank you for listening. I feel relieved after talking to you – I have rung a few times and have felt better every time.”
“Many thanks for everything and all the support you have given me. It has made a big difference!”
“Just receiving your email makes me feel like we’re less alone… It all feels like steps in the right direction. Because of this, we’re both feeling a little more able to cope right now.”
“It all feels like steps in the right direction. Because of this, we’re both feeling a little more able to cope.”
“Comments like those above inspire us and we are glad to have had so many varied, often challenging and sensitive conversations with families in our first year.
We look forward to continuing to make sure no-one has to face their pressures alone in the future.”
FamilyLine’s nationwide network of professionally trained and supported volunteers helps callers over the phone, via email, web chat and 24/7 crisis text message. Our staff and volunteers are also able to offer regular one-to-one befriending to callers who feel isolated, as well as short term telephone counselling.
Contacting FamilyLine
Adults from England, Wales and the Isle of Man can get in touch with the service for free via telephone, text message, web chat or email, using the details below.
Opening times:
• Monday to Friday, 9am to 9pm
Contact details:
• Telephone: 0808 802 6666
• Text message: 07537 404 282
Contacting us out of hours
Do you need FamilyLine but it’s out of our operation hours? You can either call back in our opening hours, leave a message on our voice mail for a call back in our operation hours or if you’re in crisis you can contact our crisis line to get in touch with a trained professional.
• Text FAMILYACTION to 85258
Our crisis messenger text service provides free, 24/7 crisis support across the UK. We know that getting the correct support at the correct time is so beneficial which is why we’ve introduced our crisis line. This service is delivered in partnership with
Shout.
For more information about FamilyLine click here.
HRH the Duchess of Cambridge launched FamilyLine on 22 January last year after our research showed people wanted to talk about their family pressures but didn’t always know where to turn.
