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Select an option to find out more about the reporting process and how we can help.
What is the CEOP Centre?
The Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (or CEOP) is the UK's national police centre for protecting young people and children from sexual abuse wherever thay may be.
Thinkuknow how to stay safe online?
Thinkuknow is a specially prepared education programme run by CEOP for children aged 5 to 16. There are special areas depending on how old the child or young person is. Visit thinkuknow.co.uk
How does reporting help young people?
"Feeling threatened is awful and there may be others who feel like you but aren't brave enough to say something. By reporting someone, you're helping yourself and others. Its the right thing to do."
Sarah (aged 15 )
"If you feel like someone is making you feel threatened, don't worry. All you need to do is send a report, it's really easy. You won't get into any trouble!"
Jamie (aged 13)
What happens when I make a report?
When you make a report you fill out a form that lets CEOP have all the information we need to help you.
The form is received by specialist officers who will decide what is the best way to help you with your problem. We might do some initial work around what or who you are reporting, and we will decide on who is the best person to deal with the problem.
In some cases, we might send the report over to our education team who can help by answering questions on how to keep safe online, or to other areas of CEOP who can help you deal with hacking problems and cyberbullying.
We will speak to your local police if we think there is a criminal offence in your report, when the person you are reporting has done something illegal or if we are worried about your safety. When we do this, we will make sure you know beforehand and we have special child protection advisors from a children’s charity called the NSPCC who can speak to you and your parents or teachers to make sure you are alright.
Whatever action we take, we will tell you first and help you with any worries or problems you might have on the phone or by email.
Examples of where reporting has helped
Example 1:
After a period of online chat where an adult man was grooming a young girl, the teenager had agreed to meet the man in the real world. She realised the dangers and reported the man’s online identity. When the man turned up to meet the girl in the real world he met local police officers instead.
Example 2:
The parent of a teenage girl made a report after her daughter had been sending indecent pictures of herself to a man who had groomed her for some time. CEOP and the local police took action to find the man.
