General News
23 February, 2026
Dolly’s Dream launches 13 DOLLY
If your child is being bullied, or you’re a young person who is experiencing bullying, you don’t have to deal with it alone.
The national anti-bullying organisation Dolly’s Dream has launched 13 DOLLY - a confidential support line and web chat.
The service connects kids, teens and parents directly to a qualified Kids Helpline or ParentLine counsellor. Its launch comes as new Dolly’s Dream polling suggests some young Aussies are seeking emotional support from unqualified sources like AI chatbots.
A Dolly’s Dream Instagram poll of 374 Australian parents conducted this month revealed:
65% said their child uses AI tools
Of the young AI users, 92% were aged 13-20, while 3% were under 9 years.
26% confirmed their child used AI for help when feeling sad.
A Dolly’s Dream TikTok poll asked: ‘If you were reaching out to an organisation for support, how would you rather do it?’ The results from 96 respondents found:
76% prefer to chat online
24% would rather speak on the phone.
Sally Sweeney is Head of Dolly’s Dream explains 13 DOLLY and what it means -
“13 DOLLY provides that vital, real connection and that’s why we’ve created a web chat service
alongside our phone line, so kids and teens can contact us anytime, in the way many are currently turning to AI. But the big difference is that when they use 13 DOLLY, they’ll actually be chatting with a qualified counsellor, who is ready to listen and trained to help” Sally said.
“Our message to kids is clear. If you’re getting bullied, please turn to a human at 13 DOLLY, not an algorithm.”
How to access support:
Phone: Call 13 DOLLY(13 36 559), Web chat: Search “13 DOLLY” or visit the Dolly’s Dream website dollysdream.org.au
