Case Study: Childline (NSPCC) achieves safer, age‑appropriate engagement for under‑12s with Optimizely

Childline, NSPCC helps kids speak out and stay safe

NSPCC’s Childline provides free, confidential support for young people but most of its content was written for 12–18 year olds. When Childline started promoting the site in primary schools as part of the Speak Out, Stay Safe programme, it faced a challenge: make content and messaging safe and appropriate for under‑12s, encourage them to contact the helpline rather than rely on self‑help, and reliably identify a visitor’s age without alienating older users or worrying parents and teachers.

Optimizely partner Netcel devised a layered personalization approach using the Optimizely DXP: My Locker account registration via specific referrer links with self‑selected age, separate KS1/KS2 URLs, and a hierarchy of messaging to prompt trusted‑adult contact or calling Childline. School-based user research guided content and UX changes, and a targeted technical implementation maximized the platform investment. The result was safer, age‑appropriate delivery of content, better integration with the Speak Out, Stay Safe programme, clearer routes to the helpline, and reduced concerns from educators and parents.

Childline