The service is busiest between 3pm and 9pm weekdays and during weekends and school holidays. At these busy times callers may have to wait for some time in a queue before getting through to a counsellor. The length of calls varies from only a few minutes for enquiries and questions, to as long as an hour for serious issues such as self-harm and mental health. The average length of call across all problem types in 2000 was 16 minutes. Feedback is encouraged from callers.
Confidentiality is an important consideration for young people.
Counsellors explain confidentiality and duty of care when appropriate. Many callers choose to withhold their names and location, particularly when talking about sensitive issues. The database contains details on approximately 7,000 agencies around Australia which provide various services to children and young people. It allows callers to be referred to services in their own locality, where appropriate, either by providing contact information or via a direct, three-way phone link. Eleven percent of callers are referred to other agencies, the majority for child protection, legal assistance, emergency accommodation and drug and alcohol counselling.