Resources and support to tackle grooming harms

Find out more about online grooming and how to protect your child with the organisations and resources below.

• NSPCC – A helpline to report concerns for a child
• IWF – Report child sexual abuse images
• ThinkUKnow – Find support to tackle online grooming
• YoungMinds – A helpline to find support for mental health
• Parents Protect! – Find support to tackle child exploitation
• The Marie Collins Foundation – Support and resources for parents and carers
• Pace – Find support to deal with child exploitation
• NWG – See resources to tackle child exploitation
• Stop It Now – A helpline to report abuse and find support
• Breck Foundation – Resources to tackle online grooming

Online grooming often involves social media. Here you can find information about safety advice offered on social media apps and platforms your child or teen might use.

• YouTube’s child safety policy
• Preventing child sexual abuse on TikTok
• Instagram’s exploitation guidance
• Snapchat’s reporting advice
• X’s child exploitation policy
• Facebook’s child exploitation policy

Some children are at greater risk of online grooming and sexual exploitation. Vulnerable children might include those in care, neurodivergent children and those facing financial hardships.

The below charities specifically work with vulnerable children at risk of sexual exploitation online and offline. They offer support and advice to families and professionals.

• Action For Children – Provides support for children in care or experiencing poverty
• The Children’s Society – Supports vulnerable young people at risk of grooming
• KidzAware – General advice to support children with disabilities

Your child might find it helpful to talk through their worries with a counsellor from organisations that have experience dealing with issues around online grooming.

Below are a number of services accessible by phone, email, message boards and online chat. Additionally, if your child is a victim of online grooming and needs help reporting or processing the incident, these resources can help.

Find the right helpline or service below to support them.

• ChildLine – Helplines, 1-2-1 chats and message boards to give children a safe space to talk
• KOOTH.com – Online qualified counsellors for children, discussion boards and journalling
• The Mix – Helplines, chats and discussion boards for 11-25s to talk within a safe place
• Papyrus – Helpline, chat, message boards and advice for young people who feel suicidal
• Samaritans – Helpline, chat, self-help app and more to get support with mental health
• Meic Cymru – Helpline, chat and texting available for young people based in Wales
• Ditch The Label – A safe message board for young people to talk with others

Should your child need support, counselling, or mentoring to cope with online grooming then these organisations may be able to provide advice and services.

• YoungMinds – Guide to counselling and therapy for young people
• YoungMinds – Guide to help children talk about mental health with their GP
• ChildLine – 1-2-1 online chat, helpline and email with counsellors
• Counselling Directory – A nationwide counselling directory service to find the one that’s right for your child’s needs
• NSPCC – A range of services to support counselling and therapy needs