Is This OK? was established in 2019, and is a chat service that allows young people (13-18 years old) to communicate anonymously, either with a bot or a trained advisor, if they are worried about something or would like advice. It is a collaboration between Runaway Helpline and Childline, and was initially developed as a response to the organised and longstanding child sexual abuse and exploitation in areas in the North of England, where the victims had shared that they didn’t feel they had anywhere to turn, or anyone who would listen to them.
Is This OK? was developed through a co-design process, and is currently being trialled in two local authority areas, with a grounding in trauma-informed practice, and young people being involved in developing the chatbot functionality.