Your child has seen something they shouldn't have, or someone has targeted them online. Your instinct is to act now. The problem is knowing who to contact first — there are several places, they have different jobs, and contacting the right one at the right moment makes a real difference.
This is your reference card. Bookmark it. In the moment, you won't have time to google.
If your child is in immediate danger
Call 999. This is the only starting point if there's a genuine safeguarding emergency: your child is about to harm themselves, someone is at your address, or your child is missing.
If the danger has already passed but you believe a crime has occurred, go to the relevant section below instead.
If you've received or seen child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
> Contact the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) first, before anything else — even before telling the child or the school.
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF)
- Website: iwf.org.uk/report
- What they do: IWF is the UK's official agency for reporting child abuse imagery. They remove it from the internet and pass information to law enforcement.
- What to report: Any image or video of a child being sexually abused, or material that sexualises children.
- What to do: Go to iwf.org.uk/report and submit a report. You do not need to download or keep the image. IWF will handle it from there.
- Time it takes: Usually 24 hours for first contact.
Once you've reported to IWF, then contact:
CEOP (National Crime Agency)
- Website: ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/
- Report form: ceop.police.uk/report-abuse/
- What they do: CEOP investigates child sexual exploitation and abuse. They're the law enforcement body.
- What to report: Any form of child sexual abuse or exploitation, including grooming, sextortion, or CSAM.
- What to do: Fill in the online form at ceop.police.uk/report-abuse/. Be as specific as you can: usernames, dates, screenshots (if safe to keep), platform name.
- Time it takes: CEOP will acknowledge your report within 48 hours.
If someone has groomed or sexually exploited your child
CEOP (first)
- Website: ceop.police.uk/report-abuse/
- What they do: CEOP investigates grooming, sextortion, and online exploitation.
- What to report: An adult or older teen who has tried to build a relationship with your child for sexual purposes, asked for images, asked to meet in person, or is blackmailing them for sexual content.
- What to do: Report online at ceop.police.uk/report-abuse/ with as much detail as you have: usernames, messages (screenshots if possible), dates, platform name, what was said or asked.
- Important: Do not delete the messages or images from the platform yet. CEOP and the police may need to see the evidence as it exists.
Then contact the platform (see section below) and ask them to remove the account or content.