Keeping children safe from online sexual abuse

It’s not always easy for children and young people to recognise when someone might be exploiting them online.

Remind them to come to you if anyone asks them to:

• share something private about themselves, especially via image, video or live stream
• give them money or any sort of gift, including things like currency or virtual prizes found in games
• send them something that upsets them.

Try using our Friendships Online resource when talking to your child about talking to people online.

Start talking to your child about connecting with others online as soon as you give them access to an internet-connected device.

Talking to your child about sexual abuse isn’t a conversation any parent wants to have - but we know that having them regularly can help keep them safer.

Our PANTS resources have been designed to help parents talk to their children about this topic. Use these resources to help talk to your children about sexual abuse, online or offline.

For older children, we understand that having these conversations can be more challenging. You should try asking them open questions about what they’re doing online to help start a conversation:

• Can you tell me about that app you’ve been using?
• What do you think about video sharing apps?
• Are you part of any group chats or online forums?

Look out for opportunities in everyday life to speak to your child about relationships and online abuse. For example a storyline in a TV show or news story.

Remember the purpose of these conversations is to help build trust so they know they can come to you if something happens. This can take a while, so don’t be disheartened if your child doesn’t respond straight away.

The Children’s Commissioner recently released some guidance for parents about how to talk to young people about sexual harassment and abuse online.

You can also read our advice for parents and carers on Talking about difficult topics.

Most platforms have communication features that allow people to connect in different ways. This includes social media apps, gaming platforms and other sites.

It’s important to talk to your child about what apps and games they're using. Ask them to give you a demonstration of some of the different communication features. Here are some you might want to ask them about:

• live streaming
• location-sharing
• forums
• video and image sharing
• 1:1 chat via audio or direct messages
• group chats.

Encourage your child to tell you before they start using any new platform so you can discuss how to help them stay safe together.

Most platforms offer different safety settings that can help manage who your child can speak to online. You might want to consider switching off direct messages or comments on their posts. Always ensure you discuss it with your child before you enable any new parental controls or settings.

You can find out more about the different settings on offer by going to the app or game website. Or check out our guides on TikTok and Roblox.

If you're concerned about someone your child's been speaking to online you should report it to Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command (CEOP). They're part of the police and help to keep children safe from online grooming.

Once your report has been submitted you'll be contacted by one of their Child Protection Advisors.

If you need further support, you might also want to consider contacting our Helpline for advice.

If you know a young person who has had a sexual image or video of themselves shared online, and they’re under 18, please let them know about Report Remove.

Childline and IWF’s Report Remove tool allows young people to report an image or video shared online to see if it’s possible to get it taken down. Once the report's been made, it keeps the young person informed at each stage and provides further support where necessary.

They just need to follow three steps:

1. Follow the instructions to prove their age. They may need ID for this.

2. Login or create a Childline account so they can receive updates on their report.

3. Report and remove: the IWF will review it and attempt to remove it if it breaks the law.

If you come across an indecent image of a child you should report it to the IWF immediately. If the content is criminal they'll take steps to remove it and safeguard the child.  

We know that coming across something like this can be distressing. If you need further support you should contact our Helpline who will be able to signpost you to additional resources.