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UK
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USA
What to do if…
you find sexual images of your child on a device and you suspect coercion or exploitation
Short answer
Get your child to a calm, safe place and contact safeguarding help rather than trying to investigate it yourself. If there is any immediate danger, call 999; otherwise contact CEOP for online sexual abuse concerns, the NSPCC Helpline, your local council children’s social care team, or police on 101.
Do not do these things
- Don’t confront the suspected person online or offline, and don’t warn them.
- Don’t forward, upload, or show the images to anyone to prove what happened.
- Don’t delete anything, factory reset the device, or keep searching through accounts unless it is necessary to address an immediate safety risk.
- Don’t force your child to explain immediately or repeatedly.
- Don’t threaten to punish your child or take their phone forever in the heat of the moment.
- Don’t promise secrecy if your child may be at risk; say you will involve only the people needed to help keep them safe.
What to do now
- Make sure your child is physically safe right now. If you think they are in immediate danger, someone is trying to meet them, or a crime is happening now, call 999.
- Stabilise your child first. In a steady voice, say: “You’re not in trouble. I’m glad I found out. We’re going to get help.” Keep questions minimal.
- Stop any ongoing coercive contact. If your child is currently messaging the person, ask them to stop replying. Avoid deleting messages. If it helps stop contact for the moment, put the device on airplane mode, then stop using it until you have advice.
- Keep the device safe without investigating. Put the device somewhere only you can access. Do not scroll for more images, send screenshots to yourself, or ask other people to look.
- Report online sexual abuse concerns to CEOP. If the concern involves online grooming, threats, sexual pressure, or suspicious online contact, make a report through the CEOP Safety Centre.
- Contact safeguarding support even if you are unsure. Contact the NSPCC Helpline for guidance, or contact the children’s social care team at your local council if you think your child may be at risk.
- Contact police when appropriate. If it is not an emergency but you need police help, call 101 or use your local police force’s non-emergency reporting options.
- Offer your child confidential support. If they do not want to talk to you right now, offer Childline so they can speak to a trained counsellor by phone or online.
- If nude images of your child may be online, use Report Remove. If your child is under 18 and nude images or videos of them have been shared online, Report Remove can help them try to get the images taken down.
What can wait
- You do not need to decide right now whether to tell school, other parents, or extended family.
- You do not need to do a full digital investigation tonight.
- You do not need to identify the person yourself.
- You do not need to get a perfect timeline from your child immediately.
- You do not need to decide long-term device rules or consequences now.
Important reassurance
Finding this can be shocking and sickening. Children may comply with sexual pressure because they are scared, confused, ashamed, or threatened; that does not make it their fault. A calm response and quick safeguarding help can reduce harm.
Scope note
These are first steps to reduce harm and connect you with safeguarding support. Later decisions about school involvement, social care, police process, device handling, and emotional support may need specialist help.
Important note
This is general information, not legal advice, medical advice, therapeutic advice, or a substitute for professional safeguarding support. If you think a child is in immediate danger, call emergency services.
Additional Resources
About this guide
This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.