Q940: What do I do if I suspect a child is being groomed?
Grooming can occur face to face or over the internet and involves any communication with a child in order to commit a sexual offence. The individual does this by forming an emotional bond with the child to gain their trust - this can then lead to the offence of child sexual exploitation (CSE ) being committed.
If a child is being groomed they may display unusual behaviours which you need to look out for; these may include -
- becoming anxious or clingy
- change in eating habits
- self harm/suicidal
- taking drugs or alcohol
- missing school
If you are concerned about a child, you can contact the NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 or you can report it directly to them via the following link -
NSPCC - report child abuse
For further support and advice on grooming and CSE , please see the links in related information.
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