What happens when I make a report?

CEOP works hard to protect children and young people and keep them safe online. If your child is being sexually abused or groomed we will do everything we can to help. Please remember that CEOP are unable to respond to reports about bullying, fake accounts or account hacking.

If you make a report to us, all you need to do is tell us what you know about what has happened. Don't worry if you feel like you don't know all of the details, whatever you tell us will be useful. Once we receive your report we will do everything we can to make your child safe.

Please remember it is never your child's fault. It is important not to blame or judge them for what has happened and your child will not be in trouble. The most important thing to remember is that you have contacted us and we will be able to help you and your child.

To help you support your child in the meantime you can visit our CEOP Education website which provides online safety information and practical advice for parents and carers.

What will CEOP do with your report?

Your report will be read by a Child Protection Advisor at CEOP, who will immediately start thinking about how we will help your child . Our Child Protection Advisors are specialist workers who have helped thousands of children and parents and they will not be shocked or surprised by anything that you tell them.
The speed in which you are contacted is dependent on our assessment of the risk to your child. Please note that if it relates to bullying, fake accounts or hacked accounts this will not meet the threshold for a response from CEOP.
When we make contact we will talk about what you have reported, discuss how we can support you in making your child safe and what happens next.
Our main priority is to make your child safe and we will work with you to plan the best way to achieve this. This might include sharing what you have told us with other professionals, including local statutory services, who will be able to help and support you and your child.