Supportline 179 is Malta’s national helpline, offering support, information about local social welfare services and other agencies, and a referral service to callers who require assistance. It is also a national service for people who are in times of difficulty or crisis. The primary mission of the Supportline 179 service is to provide immediate and unbiased help to those seeking information, support, and/or require a referral to social service agencies.

The Supportline 179 is available on a 24/7 basis. All the calls received on the EU Emotional Support Helpline 116 123 and the EU harmonized Helpline 116 111, are dealt with by the Supportline 179 team.

The helpline can be accessed by children and young people regarding any social difficulty they might encounter. They can contact the helpline without disclosing any personal information except for when the caller would like to be referred to a particular service, whereby in this case all personal information will be kept confidential.

Supportline 179 also provides the option for individuals to seek assistance through an online chat service. This service is operated by professionally trained operators who offer support, guidance, and information in the same confidential and professional manner as the telephone helpline. The chat service can be accessed through the Foundation for Social Welfare Services website.