Online Safety: Where to Get Help and How to Report
Most online problems start small. Knowing where to turn makes it easier for children to speak up early.
A group chat that turns nasty, a stranger asking for photos, an image shared without permission: many online problems start small. Short, regular conversations work better than one big talk, and children are more likely to tell you about a problem if they don't expect to lose their phone for it.
If an image has been shared
Report Remove, from Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation, lets young people under 18 report a nude image or video of themselves that has been shared online, to try to get it taken down. Specialists give the image a digital fingerprint so it can be spotted and removed across the internet.
If you're worried about grooming or online sexual abuse
Young people, and parents or carers, can report directly to CEOP, the police team that deals with online child sexual abuse and grooming. Young people won't get into trouble for reporting an image of themselves. CEOP can't deal with bullying, fake accounts or hacking, so report those to the platform and the school. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999.
Bullying and other worries
Save screenshots with dates, don't reply to the other person, and tell your child's school, even if it happened outside school hours. Adults can get advice from the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000, and children can talk to Childline on 0800 1111.
Sources
- Report Remove (NSPCC / Childline)
- Reporting nude images and online abuse (CEOP Education)
- Should I make a report to CEOP? (parents and carers) (CEOP, National Crime Agency)
This post is general information. Your school's own plan comes first, so ask the school office for its procedures.