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Worried about another young person?

If you’re worried about your friend or someone else you know, there is lots of information on this site that could help you understand what is going on for them.

In hard times, everyone needs a good friend. Being a good friend, listening and supporting someone when things are tricky, isn’t easy. Sometimes being honest about why you are worried about them can feel very difficult.

We know that people talk to their friends usually before they talk to any adults. It might be that you are holding a lot of worries about someone and you feel you need some advice and to talk things through. Runaway Helpline is here to talk to you, in confidence.

If you feel that talking to someone would be grassing on your friend or breaking their secrets, knowing you can talk to us without anyone knowing who you are or who your friend is, could really help.

You and your friends deserve to be safe and happy.

Worried about another young person?
These are just a few of the things young people have told us is worrying them about a friend
  • Are they away from their home and don’t have another home to go to?
  • Are they being hurt or having arguments at home?
  • Do they seem to be depressed or are hurting themselves?
  • Are they asking to stay at yours because they can’t go home?
  • Do they have a boyfriend or girlfriend who doesn’t treat them right?
  • Are they in trouble and worried about what is going to happen?
  • Are they in a gang and having to do stuff that seems dangerous?
  • Do they not like being in a children’s home or foster care and don’t want to stay there?
  • Might they have to marry someone they don’t want to?
  • Are they being made to have sex or do things with people?
  • Are they under a lot of pressure at school and not showing up?
There are lots of ways to help someone who is thinking of running away. Listening is the best thing you can do and asking if you can help
- Helen
Runaway Helpline
- Helenslider
Offering a safe space, some food, somewhere to charge their phone, a shower are the basics that make people feel better. All this helps while they are sorting themselves out.
- Paul
Runaway Helpline
- Paulslider
Speak to 116 000 about why you're worried, you can do this anonymously. we don’t need to know who you or who your friend is to be able to listen and talk things through
- Amy
Runaway Helpline
- Amyslider
MyYouthHealthTalk
Foreign & Commonwealth Office

who else can help?


It looks like you’re accessing this website from outside the United Kingdom.

The Runaway Helpline can only provide services to children and young people within the United Kingdom, and information and advice on this site relates to the UK only.

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