Child Sexual Exploitation, Grooming and Keeping Young People Safe

Sixpence Support UK is an independent information website. It is not a charity, a police service, a safeguarding authority, a counselling service or a reporting service. We cannot investigate concerns, receive evidence, assess risk, or contact the police, a school or Children’s Services on anyone’s behalf.

If you are worried about a child or young person, please contact the police, your local authority’s Children’s Services, a school safeguarding lead, or one of the organisations listed further down this page.

Girls and young women are affected in particularly high numbers, and this page reflects that. Boys and young men are also abused and exploited, and often find it harder to be believed or to come forward. Children of every sex, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability and background can be victims, and every child deserves the same protection.

Sexual grooming is a process. It is used to gain a child’s trust, gradually reduce their boundaries, create secrecy, and prepare or control them for sexual abuse or exploitation.

Grooming can happen:

• face to face
• online, including in games, apps, social media and private messaging
• through friends, partners or other young people
• within families, or within trusted organisations and activities
• gradually, over weeks, months or much longer
• towards the child, and also towards their family or wider community, so that concerns are less likely to be raised

People who groom children may act alone or in groups. They may be adults or other young people. They may be strangers, partners, relatives, family friends, professionals, community figures, or people first encountered online.

Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It can involve a child receiving, or being promised, attention, affection, gifts, money, status, drugs, alcohol, accommodation or protection in connection with sexual activity, sexual images or abuse.

• It can be committed by one person or by a group.
• It can happen in person or entirely online.
• Trafficking or travel is not required.
• Physical contact is not required for online sexual abuse to be serious and criminal.
• Children very often do not recognise that they are being groomed or exploited.
• Apparent cooperation, silence, or returning to the person causing harm does not remove the need for safeguarding.

Nothing about a child’s clothing, behaviour, use of alcohol, acceptance of gifts, relationships or previous sexual activity makes them responsible for being abused.

“Group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse” generally describes two or more people acting together to sexually exploit or abuse children. In everyday language this is sometimes called a “grooming gang”.

• Offenders and victims come from many different backgrounds.
• Safeguarding decisions must be based on behaviour, evidence and the child’s welfare — not on assumptions about race, religion, neighbourhood or appearance.
• Institutional failure, embarrassment, or fear of causing offence must never prevent a genuine safeguarding concern from being reported.

For background, the Government has established an Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs. Its published material is listed below for reference only.

• The age of consent is 16.
• Sexual activity involving a child under 16 is unlawful, even if the child appears to agree.
• Children under 13 cannot legally consent to sexual activity.
• A person consents only if they agree by choice, and have the freedom and capacity to choose.
• Threats, fear, intoxication, manipulation, abuse of power and dependency can remove freedom or capacity to choose.
• A person under 18 cannot consent to being trafficked or sexually exploited.
• A 16- or 17-year-old may lawfully consent to some sexual activity, but cannot consent to exploitation, coercion or abuse — including where an adult holds a position of trust.
• Sexual images involving anyone under 18 create separate, serious legal and safeguarding concerns, whoever created or shared them.

This is general information, not legal advice about an individual case. Current Crown Prosecution Service guidance explains how these offences are approached.

• excessive attention, praise or affection
• gifts, money, lifts, food, alcohol, drugs or somewhere to stay
• secrecy, and being told the relationship is “special”
• conversations or jokes that gradually become sexualised
• requests to move conversations to private or encrypted messaging
• asking for personal information, location or images
• isolating the child from friends, family or trusted adults
• making the child feel mature, indebted or responsible for the other person
• jealousy, monitoring and control
• threats to expose secrets or intimate images
• threats against the child, their friends or their family
• using another young person to make the first introduction

None of these signs alone proves that abuse is happening. They are reasons to pay attention, stay close to the child, and seek advice if you are worried.

Children may show none of these signs. Some are also ordinary parts of growing up. What matters is a pattern, a sudden change, or something that does not add up.

• unexplained gifts, money, phones, hotel cards or travel
• older partners, adult friends, or unfamiliar friendship groups
• going missing, or returning home late
• unexplained journeys, or being found away from home
• school absence or falling attainment
• secrecy around phones and online accounts
• fear of particular people, places or vehicles
• mood changes, withdrawal, aggression or anxiety
• self-harm, eating difficulties or substance use
• unexplained injuries or health concerns
• sexual knowledge or behaviour that seems inappropriate for the child’s age
• sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy
• repeatedly staying in unfamiliar accommodation
• another person controlling the child’s phone, money, clothing, documents or movements

You do not need proof to share a concern. Safeguarding professionals are there to assess the situation so that you do not have to.

• Offenders may use fake identities, or pretend to be another young person.
• Grooming can move quickly from public platforms into private messages.
• A child may be pressured into sending images, live-streaming, or performing sexual acts on camera.
• Offenders may threaten to share images unless the child sends more, pays money, or agrees to meet.
• Sexual blackmail is abuse. It is never the child’s fault.

If this is happening:

• Do not pay, do not negotiate, and do not arrange to meet the person.
• Stop contact when it is safe to do so, then block and report the accounts.
• Tell a trusted adult, and report to CEOP or the police.
• Childline can help a young person talk it through at any stage.
• Report Remove can help get a sexual image removed if it was taken when the person was under 18.

• Remain calm and listen.
• Believe the child and take them seriously.
• Say clearly: “This is not your fault.”
• Avoid shock, anger, blame or repeated questioning.
• Do not ask leading or investigative questions.
• Use the child’s own words rather than substituting your own.
• Do not promise absolute secrecy.
• Explain gently that information will need to be shared with people who can help keep them safe.
• Record the child’s words, and the date and time, accurately and as soon as possible.
• Report promptly through the correct safeguarding route.
• Continue offering stable, non-judgemental support afterwards.

• Deal with immediate safety and any medical needs first.
• Call 999 if there is immediate danger.
• Contact the police, or your local authority’s Children’s Services.
• Tell the designated safeguarding lead at the school, college or organisation when that is relevant.
• Do not confront the alleged perpetrator, and do not alert them before seeking advice.
• Do not conduct your own investigation.
• Do not share information with people who do not need to know.
• Preserve safe, non-image information only.
• Seek specialist support for the child and for the family.

• You have not caused this.
• It is not too late to ask for help.
• You will not be blamed because you trusted someone, accepted something, went back to them, or sent an image.
• Do not meet them alone, and do not confront them.
• Tell a trusted adult, a safeguarding lead, a social worker, a police officer, or Childline on 0800 1111.
• Use CEOP to report online sexual grooming or abuse.
• Use Report Remove if a sexual image of you was taken or shared while you were under 18.
• Call 999 if you are in immediate danger.

• Listen without blame.
• Encourage them to speak to a trusted adult.
• Do not contact the person you think is abusing them.
• Do not ask to see, or accept, any intimate images.
• Report immediate danger to 999.
• Tell a safeguarding professional even if your friend asks you to keep it completely secret, when someone is unsafe. Keeping them safe matters more than keeping the secret.

• Grooming deceives caring, attentive families. It is designed to.
• Do not blame yourself, and do not blame your child.
• Think carefully before confiscating every device. It can remove the child’s safe route to help, and it can destroy information that professionals may need.
• Agree practical safety steps with professionals rather than acting alone.
• Seek help from the police, Children’s Services, the NSPCC, and specialist parent-support organisations.
• Continue ordinary routines, reassurance and emotional support where it is safe to do so.
• Parents and carers may also need confidential support of their own. Asking for it is not a failure.

• Follow your organisation’s child-protection policy.
• Report to the designated safeguarding lead immediately.
• Do not investigate, and do not circulate information.
• Never view, copy, print, save or forward sexual imagery.
• Adults working with children must follow current statutory safeguarding and reporting duties.
• Contact the police or Children’s Services directly if any delay would place a child at risk.

Help may be available through:

• NHS sexual assault referral centres (SARCs)
• emergency departments, for urgent injuries
• sexual-health services
• GP practices
• children and young people’s mental-health services
• specialist child sexual abuse services

A person can seek medical care and emotional support even if they are unsure about reporting to the police, and even if they do not want to make a report at all. Please check current NHS guidance for what is available locally, as services vary between areas.

• It was not your fault.
• There is no requirement to confront the person who harmed you.
• Support is available even when the abuse happened many years ago.
• If a child may be in danger now, please report that promptly to the police or Children’s Services.

• CSA Centre — The scale and nature of child sexual abuse (2026 evidence review)
• CSA Centre — Research and practice resources
• GOV.UK — Report child abuse
• GOV.UK — Child sexual exploitation and abuse: sources of support
• GOV.UK — Child Safety Online: a practical guide for parents and carers
• GOV.UK — Kids Online Safety
• GOV.UK — Independent Inquiry into Grooming Gangs
• Crown Prosecution Service — Child sexual abuse guidance
• Crown Prosecution Service — Sexual offences and consent
• NHS — Find a rape and sexual assault referral centre
• NHS — Help after rape and sexual assault
• Police.uk — Contacting the police (including 101)
• GOV.UK — Find your local council

The following are independent organisations rather than government services:

• NSPCC — Child sexual exploitation
• NSPCC — Grooming
• NSPCC — Helpline (0808 800 5000)
• Childline — Grooming (0800 1111)
• Childline — Report Remove
• Internet Watch Foundation — Report Remove
• CEOP Safety Centre (National Crime Agency)

This information is for general guidance only and does not replace advice from the police, a safeguarding professional, a social worker, a clinician or a legal adviser. Services, helpline hours and published figures can change. Sixpence Support UK is not a charity, police service, safeguarding authority, counselling service or reporting service; we cannot investigate concerns, receive evidence, or contact services on anyone’s behalf. In an emergency, always call 999.