Krisenchat offers digital support to young people

The Krisenchat service offers digital psychosocial counseling to children, adolescents, and young adults in Germany. The service was established to address the growing need for support for young people experiencing mental health issues and struggling to find suitable help.

Operating via WhatsApp and its own webchat, the service provides an anonymous and confidential channel for young people to express their concerns. The aim is to facilitate self-help by directing users to appropriate resources. Counseling is professional and free of charge, available 24/7. User phone numbers are pseudonymized, and data is anonymized for analysis.

Since its launch in 2020, Krisenchat has conducted nearly 220,000 counseling sessions, with over 3,700 occurring monthly. The service employs over 400 counselors, the majority of whom are volunteers. However, the service's capacity is limited, and particularly on weekends, not all inquiries can always be answered immediately.

Common themes in counseling include information about the psychosocial system, suicidality, stress, overload, self-harm, and depressive symptoms. The service also includes specialized teams for child welfare, suicide, and violence, along with a comprehensive child protection concept and training.