Samaritans’ helpline not so confidential

The Twitter Radar app controversy illustrates how the Samaritans has diverted from its core value of confidentiality.

It still promotes itself as confidential, but in November, 2011, its board of trustees agreed it would “provide confidential support to children, but report to the HSE any contacts where it appears a child is experiencing specific situations, such as those that can cause them serious harm from themselves or others.”

The real reason for the change was “because on that decision depends how effectively we can work with the HSE to achieve adjustments that may be of benefit to our callers”. The ‘adjustments’ had come to €1m within 13 months.