“You're Not Takin' Me Seriously”: Ethics and Asymmetry in Calls to a Child Protection Helpline

This article will involve comparing two calls from young people calling into the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children's (NSPCC) Helpline. Analysis draws upon two main analytical references points: discursive psychology and conversation analysis. When young people call the helpline to report abuse, one of the main activities they face is to persuade the counselors that they are reporting something illegal or at least unacceptable and ethically “wrong.” Such interactions may establish whether a call is to be acted upon by counselors or referred to police or social services. However these types of reports by young people can lead to various types of interactional difficulties as counselors probe the motivational and epistemological status of young people's accounts. Analysis will document these troubles and show that one way of exemplifying ethical considerations is to see them as “live” issues for the participants, warranting close attention to the details of talk. The analyst's move from documenting participants' of practices to recommending strategies will also be discussed.