What is Kors på halsen?

Kors på halsen is the Norwegian Red Cross' national helpline for everyone aged 18 and under. It has existed since 1984. Children who want to talk to one of our adults can do so in many different ways. Children can themselves decide whether to talk or write to Kors på halsen.

Having a hard time talking about it?

It's not always easy to talk to parents, teachers or the public health nurse about what happens in your body, about an unrequited summer crush, loneliness, bullying or family problems. Or you may just be bursting to talk about something great that has happened, but no one is home. In these situations, it can be good to have someone else you can talk to and trust.
Anyone up to age 18 can call, email or chat with Kors på halsen and discuss the things that are important to them. At Kors på halsen, youth get to talk to an adult they can trust and who cannot see who they are. Youth can talk about anything: both good things and the things they find painful and difficult. No topic is too big or too small. Life actually does get a bit easier when you have someone to talk to.

Here is some of the feedback we have received from youth who have talked with us:
"It's good to talk with someone without feeling judged."
"When you get to say what you want, it can help your mental health and help make it easier to get through your days."

Who answers?

The people who answer emails, calls and chats are Norwegian Red Cross volunteers, trained in speaking with, listening to and supporting children and youth. They have a duty of confidentiality and are anonymous.
Kors på halsen volunteers answer in Norwegian. Are you looking for help in another language? At Child Helpline International you can find an overview of helplines in other countries.
This is how children can contact Kors på halsen
Call: Calling Kors på halsen on 800 333 21 is free from both landlines and mobile phones in Norway, and we cannot see the number of the caller.
Chat: To chat with us, click on the chat photo on the front page, and fill in a bit of information that we need to talk and keep statistics. Then all you do is wait for a response!
Email: On our website you can log in as a user. The first time you log in, you must register as a new user.
Korspåhalsen.no: At korspåhalsen.no, youth that can ask, support and discuss with other youth in the forum or read about various topics that concern them. Are you unsure about where to find answers to your questions? Try searching for it or get in touch and ask us. Everything is allowed, there are no dumb questions and no question is too difficult at Kors på halsen!

For our supporters

Kors på halsen is not a crisis service, but a low-threshold service where children can get in touch if they have something they want to talk about - whether big or small. At Kors på halsen we are focused on taking children seriously by listening, supporting and giving hope. We are a supplement to public services.
The fact that we invite children to speak with us anonymously, for free and without having to make an appointment means that there is a low bar for getting in touch with us. Many children talk about difficult things for the first time when they contact us. We want to support the child, but also give them the strength to find help in their own community and networks. They can start the conversation with us, and practice saying the things they want to tell their family.
You can find annual reports/posters here (Norwegian bokmål only).