Ethical principles of telephone and chat advice services

Our advice service is here to help people; it has no other purpose. It is a non-profit operation for the public good. The advice is free of charge for you.

You have the right to talk anonymously and in total confidence. Our advisers cannot see your phone number or IP address, and they are bound by professional secrecy.

The discussions are conducted with compassion and respect. Your autonomy and your decisions are respected. The adviser makes time for you, so you can feel seen and heard. Together with you, the adviser tries to find the best solutions and encourages you to make your own decisions regarding your life.

If necessary, the adviser can limit the duration of the discussion or the amount of contact and refer you to other services. The advisers have the right not to participate in an inappropriate conversation. They may require that only topics that are part of the Guarantee Foundation’s services are talked about.

If the adviser has a particular reason to be concerned for you safety, they may ask for your contact information in order to help you. They have a legal obligation to report. If necessary, the Guarantee Foundation will contact the authorities in a manner consistent with our operating principles. The adviser will tell you if they feel a need to contact the authorities about issues that have come to light during the discussion.

You can give feedback on the advice services either using your name or anonymously.

The Guarantee Foundation is a member of PuhEet, an advisory committee on the ethical principles of telephone and online help.

You can also read the Guarantee Foundation’s advice services’ privacy policy.