What is Kooth?
Understanding Kooth: A Free, Safe, and Anonymous Online Mental Health Support Service
Understanding Kooth: A Free, Safe, and Anonymous Online Mental Health Support Service
And much, much more…
According to the NHS, as many as 1 in 5 young people have a probable mental health issue. In a fast-paced and often stressful world, there are many reasons why young people’s mental health can suffer. That’s why we created Kooth – an online mental health support service offering a range of resources designed to help young people manage their emotional wellbeing.
Kooth started over 20 years ago with a mission to help as many young people as possible with their mental health and wellbeing. Since then, Kooth has helped over a million young people!
Kooth is a free, safe, and anonymous online platform where young people can access mental health support whenever they need it. Delivered in partnership with the NHS, Kooth is available to anyone between the ages of 10-18, and in some areas, it extends up to age 25.
Kooth is safe – it’s a fully moderated platform where users can seek help without anyone knowing who they are.
Every comment, article and support chat is checked by professionals. If something is flagged as a concern, we reach out to the person.
Kooth is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), and delivered through the NHS.
Young people can be confident they will receive high-quality, professional care from real people, not robots.
The service is fully mobile-accessible, allowing users to access support from their smartphones or tablets, making it convenient for on-the-go help.
You can use Kooth on the go, at home, or wherever you are. Using live text chat is just like sending text messages.
What our community is saying
“I value all the support Kooth has provided me. I don’t think it would have been possible if I didn’t have the support of the counsellors.”
“Being free and anonymous is so important to me. It’s such a safe space.”
Kooth offers a comprehensive range of services specially designed to offer young people support in different ways. Everyone is different; at Kooth you can choose from different types of support to suit your needs.
Users can chat with trained counsellors and emotional wellbeing practitioners from 12pm to 10pm on weekdays and 6pm until 10pm on weekends. We are open 365 days a year, even on Christmas Day and other public holidays*
Kooth provides a variety of self-help activities that users can engage in at their own pace. These activities are designed to help manage stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.
The platform hosts a library of articles written by both professionals and peers. These articles cover a wide range of topics relevant to young people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Kooth offers tools such as journaling and goal-setting to help users track their progress and manage their mental health more effectively.
* Chat hours may be reduced during public holidays
My name is Layla. I have a degree in clinical psychology. In my free time I love to play the guitar and perform music. Remember, there is always someone here to listen.
Hi there, I'm Aaren. I’m a fully qualified, practising counsellor professionally accredited with The National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society. My practice is adaptable and flexible to suit your individual needs.
Hello my name is Anne, I am one of the online Counsellors here at Kooth. I have an advanced professional Diploma in Psychotherapeutic counselling and a Diploma in trauma and crisis counselling. In my spare time I like to walk my dog, or should I say that he likes to walk me!
Hello there, my name is Amanda and I am a Counsellor here at Kooth. I have a BA (Hons) in Counselling and Psychotherapy. My cat often sits on my shoulder when working, even when I walk around during my break…
At Kooth, there is no need for a referral from a GP, school, or anyone else. You can simply visit the Kooth website and create an account to start accessing services immediately.
You can be completely anonymous, which helps a lot of young people feel more confident when seeking support.
Kooth is delivered in partnership with the NHS and other organisations to provide free mental health support to young people.
Kooth is not a crisis support service. If you need urgent support, please dial 999 or contact urgent support services.
In some areas, Kooth is available to people aged between 18-25. We also have an adults service called Qwell. It’s available to adults in many areas across the UK. Please visit qwell.io to find out more.
Kooth is commissioned by many NHS bodies, and also by many Police Commissioning Services across the UK.
Kooth is a completely anonymous service. For further information on our data and privacy policy, please visit https://www.kooth.com/privacy
Kooth is available wherever it has been commissioned. We are active in many areas of the UK. To find out more, visit kooth.com
Understanding our users’ backgrounds helps us check that the services we provide are reaching as many people, from as many backgrounds, as possible. It also helps us signpost you to the right services & support. Historically, some sections of society slip through the cracks of traditional mental health support. We are dedicated to ensuring this doesn’t happen with Kooth, and really appreciate your help.