Live Chat

Here's a helpful video to help you get started on Jigsaw Live Chat.

At the start of your chat, a clinician will welcome you, introduce themselves and invite you to say a little more about what you’d like support with.

Chats sessions will last approximately 40 minutes.

Use a good internet connection if possible to minimise disruptions.

Have a think about what you most want help with. Your clinician will also help you with this in the session

Stay focused on the chat and responding promptly

Avoid multitasking or having multiple browser windows open

If you need to step away from the chat, let us know.

Jigsaw is not a crisis service. If you or someone you know needs immediate help, check out crisis support options.

We do require you to register to use this service. When registering you will be asked to provide an email address, username, and some demographic information.

You can be as anonymous as you choose.

This means you don’t need to provide your first name if that's your preference. Or you can use an email address that doesn’t identify you (i.e. doesn’t contain your name).

No. Log in whenever you like during opening hours. Or send us an email anytime.

We offer support for whatever is on your mind.

This includes things like feeling low, stressed, anxious or worried, relationship issues, family or friendship difficulties, problems at school, college, or work.

We try to help as much as possible in one session. If it's useful you are welcome to come back and chat with us again. This could be to discuss something different or to tell us how you are getting on.

While there is no limit on using Jigsaw Live Chat, if you need longer-term support we can discuss other options.

We can't guarantee that you will speak to the same person each time you log in. However, the person you get through to will be able to see your previous chats so you won't have to repeat everything.

Do let us know if you are already linked in with another support service, in particular any regular therapeutic sessions you might have. For example at Jigsaw, in HSE mental health services, student counselling or another online service.

Having contact with multiple services, particularly if they are not working together can be unhelpful and confusing for you.

If you are attending another service, please let us know and we can talk about the best next steps.

An email through the chat portal is a good way to write out what is going on for you and how you are feeling.

You can take your time writing it and send it even if the chat service is closed.

We will respond to your email as soon as possible. Monday to Friday we aim to respond within 24 hours, but there are times it may take longer than this.

If you request a chat, the person you talk to will be able to see your email. You won't have to repeat what you have written.

Check your internet connection. If you are unable to reconnect, you can access a new chat when your connection is restored.

Although it may not be with the same person, they will be able to see the details of your previous chat so you can pick up where you left off.

If you do not hear from us within five minutes of the chat being disrupted, we will probably need time to resolve the issue.

We will email you to let you know what has happened as soon as possible.

We will highlight it here on this page and email to let you know what has happened as soon as possible.

The information that you share in chats and emails is confidential to the Jigsaw Online team. We will not share information without your consent unless we are concerned that you or someone else is at risk of harm.

In such circumstances, we may need to share your personal information with third parties such as an Garda Síochána, emergency services, or Tusla, The Child and Family Agency to ensure that you or another person at risk gets the appropriate support.

In addition, if we are concerned that you or another person is at risk of harm, we may ask you for more information, such as your full name, your address, or contact details for a next of kin who we can contact. It is up to you if you wish to provide this information.

Jigsaw Live Chat provides confidential and preventative webchat and email services directly to young people. We are committed to doing this while also keeping your data safe.

The information here explains why we collect data, what data is collected, what we do with it, and what you can do to exercise your rights or to get more information.

Personal information is any information that can be used to identify you. For example, your name, date of birth, email address, IP address, as well as information relating to your health or personal circumstances.

We retain personal information you provide when you:

* register with us

* seek assistance and support by logging in, emailing us, or engaging in a chat session

* otherwise give us personal information.

We use your information in the following ways:

To give you the information and support you ask for and ensure that Jigsaw staff offer you the best possible service.

For internal administrative purposes (like accounting and records), and to let you know about changes to our services or policies.

To evaluate what we are doing and understand ways to improve support for young people. We may contact you directly about this. If we use your information in relation to evaluating our services, and for research and analysis, any information that could identify you will be removed.

To look in to and respond to complaints, legal claims or other issues.

If we need to use your information for other reasons, we will tell you about it and get your permission.

We keep your data in accordance with our data retention policy. We review our data retention periods for personal information on a regular basis.

When we collect your personal information we use strict procedures and security features to prevent unauthorised access.

To keep your information safe, it is stored electronically by Microsoft Azure on a secure server. To help maintain the Jigsaw Live Chat IT system, there are developers in MHI (New Zealand) who can see your information; they do not store or share your information.

We will not sell your details to any third parties.

If you need any more information about the way your personal data will be used, if you want to exercise your data rights, or if you are unhappy with the way we have handled your personal data you can get in touch with our Data Protection Officer:

Data Protection Officer

Jigsaw The National Centre for Youth Mental Health

16 Westland Square, Pearse Street, Dublin 2

D02 V590

Email: data.protection@jigsaw.ie

Telephone: 01 472 7010

Jigsaw is a registered charity, CHY 17439.

Changes to this policy

We may change our privacy policy from time to time, so please check back every now and again