These are not just words in a chat. They are children’s stories asking for help.
How the online chat on kidspomogut.by works
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“My mom makes me eat pasta. Is that violence? Please help me!”
Messages like this sometimes appear in the chat on the kidspomogut.by portal – a platform created to prevent violence against children in the digital space. Alongside these “pasta” questions, there are far more serious ones:
What should I do? I’m being cyberbullied.
My account was hacked.
Someone is blackmailing me with my personal data.
I feel lonely and anxious. Please help…
All these messages have one thing in common: every single one of them receives a response.
Specialists understand that children and adolescents often “test the ground” first. Can they speak openly here? Will anyone actually listen? That is why the chat is built as a space of trust. Support is anonymous, free of charge, and available 24/7 – and every message matters. Because these are not just words in a chat. They are children’s stories.
We spoke in more detail about how the online chat works with Olga Voronko, Head of the Primary Intake and Crisis Family Support Unit at the Minsk City Centre for Social Services to Families and Children. It is the Centre’s specialists who provide online information and psychological support to children who reach out through the chat.
“We know these are children. If we don’t respond right now – who will?” she says.
How it all began
The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 accelerated digitalisation around the world. More and more people began using the internet as their main source of information and entertainment. Children can find enormous amounts of useful information online – but they can also face serious risks.
Cyberbullying. Harmful content. Online grooming. Fraud. Harassment. Excessive gaming. Identity theft.
To help address these risks, UNICEF in Belarus initiated the creation of an online platform in 2021 that brings together reliable information on how to stay safe online and where to seek help if something goes wrong.
The development of the platform was supported by the Minsk City Executive Committee and the Minsk City Centre for Social Services to Families and Children. Thanks to this partnership, online counselling became one of the key services of the website, focusing on the prevention of violence in the digital environment.
Why an online chat matters
Online counselling is a format that psychologists around the world have been using for years. For teenagers especially, it creates a safe space where they can ask for help without fear.
There is a delicate balance in online communication – one that is especially important at a vulnerable age: the ability to speak openly, but not face-to-face. The feeling that you are in control of the conversation, not the adult. And this sense of control often helps young people open up.
“I think children feel safer when they can first see how the chat works – who responds, how they respond – before talking to a psychologist,” Olga explains. “We often receive messages like ‘Hi, how are you? Who are you?’ And we respond to every single one of them. Even the ones that seem unimportant. Because a child may not need help today, but tomorrow they will know that someone here will answer.”
Why not just a hotline?
Calling a helpline requires privacy. A child has to be alone, sure that no one is listening. The online chat removes that barrier. It allows children to reach out quietly, safely, and in their own time.
At the same time, the chat works alongside existing support services, including the 24-hour national child helpline (8-801-100-16-11). When necessary, specialists gently encourage children to seek further help offline.
I think children feel safer when they can first see how the chat works – who responds, how they respond – before talking to a psychologist,” Olga explains.
What children write about
The main topic children contact the chat about is violence in the online space: cyberbullying, online harassment, fraud, and digital threats.
Sometimes the messages are deeply alarming. One child wrote that people in a messaging app were sending explicit photos. In such cases, the information is passed to the relevant authorities so action can be taken.
But many messages are also about emotions:
I feel lonely.
I think I might have depression.
I like someone in my class, but they don’t like me back.
Children write about anything they need help with. Because sometimes a adolescent needs someone who is not a parent – just another adult who will listen without judgment.
How the support works
Every message is first answered by a social work specialist. If the question is practical – for example, “my account was hacked” or “someone blocked me in a game” – they provide information and guidance.
If the message is about anxiety, loneliness, or emotional distress, psychologists join the conversation. And if the situation is serious, specialists carefully encourage the child to contact the helpline or come for an in-person consultation.
Sometimes a child writes, disappears for a day, and then comes back. The team continues to check in: Was everything clear? Can we support you further?
More serious messages often arrive late in the evening or at night:
I feel really bad. What should I do? Who can I talk to?
“Recently, a girl wrote about feeling completely alone,” Olga recalls. “It sounded very close to suicidal thoughts. We talked for a long time. Two days later, she wrote again. We continued the conversation – what helped, what didn’t. It felt like the chat was the only place where she could speak openly.”
More than just a chat
All consultations are free and anonymous, which makes it easier for children to ask for help without fear. But the platform offers more than just online support.
The website also provides reliable, child-friendly information on how to stay safe online. Children can learn how to deal with cyberbullying, recognise online scams, and protect their personal data. Parents can find guidance on how to keep their children safe in the digital world. Teachers can use the materials in their lessons.
And if the answer is not on the website – the chat is always there.
Because every message deserves a response.
And behind every message is a child who needs to be heard.
Children may write, write, write – then disappear for a day, and write again later. When that happens, the specialists still reach out: Was everything clear? Is there anything else we can do to support you?
What else can be found on the website?
The kidspomogut.by platform also brings together expert information that helps children explore the internet safely. Here they can learn how to stand up to cyberbullying, recognize online scams, and protect their personal data. The information is adapted both for children and teenagers, and for parents and teachers.
Parents can find guidance on how to keep their child safe online – for example, if a child wants to start blogging, or if they are wondering whether their child is ready to have their own smartphone.
Teachers can use the materials from the website to prepare lessons or awareness sessions, and to help students better understand difficult situations related to online safety.
And if the answer cannot be found in the information section of the website, children can simply write to the online chat. The experts will respond, offer advice, and most importantly – support them.