Introduction

Protection starts with creating environments where children feel safe, heard and able to speak.

There is no single way to prevent child sexual abuse, and no parent can remove every risk. Abuse can happen in person or online, within families or wider relationships, and may involve adults, older young people or peers.

Grooming is one way a child may be manipulated or exploited, but not all abuse involves grooming.

Protective parenting is about more than looking for warning signs. It means helping children understand boundaries, relationships, consent, privacy and appropriate behaviour, while creating a home environment where they know they can talk about anything without fear of blame.

Small, consistent actions can help children feel safer and make it easier for concerns to be recognised and acted upon.

UNDERSTANDING THE DIFFERENT RISKS

CSA DOESN'T ALWAYS LOOK THE SAME

Child sexual abuse can take different forms. It may happen online or offline, and the person responsible may be someone the child knows or someone they have encountered online.

It can include:

CONTACT ABUSE

Sexual touching or other sexual contact involving a child.

NON CONTACT ABUSE

Sexual behaviour directed towards a child without physical contact, including exposing a child to sexual activity or material.

ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE

Sexual communication, exploitation, coercion, manipulation or abuse through phones, games, social media, messaging services or other online platforms.

SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

Where a child is exploited for sexual purposes, including situations involving money, gifts, status, accommodation, attention or other forms of exchange or coercion.

IMAGE BASED ABUSE

The creation, possession, sharing or distribution of sexual images involving children is abuse and can cause significant harm.

ABUSE BY PEERS OR OTHER YOUNG PEOPLE

Children and young people can also experience sexual abuse from peers or other young people.

ABUSE WITHIN TRUSTING RELATIONSHIPS

Abuse may be carried out by someone a child knows, trusts or depends upon.

BUILDING BODY SAFETY

Children need simple, age appropriate messages that they can understand and remember.

Help children understand:

MY BODY BELONGS TO ME
Children have a right to bodily autonomy and personal boundaries.

I CAN SAY NO
They can say no to unwanted touch or contact, even with someone they know.

I DON'T HAVE TO KEEP UNSAFE SECRETS
Children should understand the difference between a happy surprise and a secret that makes them worried, frightened or uncomfortable.

I CAN TELL A TRUSTED ADULT
If something happens that doesn't feel right, they can talk to someone they trust.

I WON'T GET IN TROUBLE FOR TELLING
Reassure children that asking for help is always okay.

IMPORTANT!

Avoid placing the responsibility for safety entirely on the child.

Children may freeze, comply, become frightened, feel confused or be unable to recognise what is happening.

Teaching boundaries is protective. It does not make a child responsible for preventing abuse.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS & BOUNDARIES

One of the strongest protective foundations we can give children is an understanding of what healthy relationships look and feel like.

HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS INCLUDE:

❤️ RESPECT
People respect each other's boundaries.

💬 OPEN COMMUNICATION
Children know they can ask questions and talk about uncomfortable things.

🛡️ SAFETY
Nobody should use fear, threats or pressure to control another person.

🤝 CHOICE
Children should not be pressured into physical contact, conversations or situations that make them uncomfortable.

🔐 PRIVACY
Children can have appropriate privacy without being made responsible for keeping another person's secrets.

WATCH FOR RELATIONSHIPS WHERE:

• Someone repeatedly ignores boundaries
• A child feels pressured to please someone
• Someone uses fear, guilt or threats
• A relationship becomes secretive or controlling
• A child appears uncomfortable around a particular person
• Someone attempts to isolate a child from trusted adults
• An older person behaves inappropriately towards a child

One concerning interaction does not automatically tell you what is happening. Patterns, context and the child's wellbeing matter.

SAFETY AT HOME AND IN EVERYDAY LIFE

Protection isn't only digital. Think about the environments your child spends time in and the adults or young people around them.

CONSIDER:

• WHO HAS ACCESS? Who regularly spends time with your child?

• WHERE DO THEY SPEND TIME?  Are there environments where children may be isolated or have limited access to trusted adults?

• WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS? Are boundaries around privacy, physical contact and behaviour clear?

• CAN YOUR CHILD SPEAK FREELY? Do they feel able to tell you if something makes them uncomfortable?

• DO YOU KNOW THE ADULTS INVOLVED? Where appropriate, understand who is responsible for your child's care and supervision.

This isn't about treating every adult as a potential threat. It is about reasonable awareness, clear boundaries and open communication.

PROTECTIVE PARENTING

WHAT PARENTS CAN DO EVERY DAY

• TALK - Have regular, age appropriate conversations about bodies, relationships, online activity and feelings.

• LISTEN - Give your child your attention when they want to talk, including when what they say seems small or insignificant.

• BELIEVE - Take concerns seriously without immediately jumping to conclusions.

• RESPECT - Model the boundaries you expect others to respect.

• NOTICE - Pay attention to changes in behaviour, relationships, routines or online activity.

• CHECK IN - Ask open questions rather than interrogating.

• KEEP COMMUNICATION OPEN - Let your child know they can come back to you, even if something happened a long time ago.

IF SOMETHING DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT

You don't need to wait until you are certain something is wrong. If something concerns you:

1. PAUSE

Don't panic or immediately confront someone.

2. LISTEN

If your child talks to you, give them time and listen carefully.

3. TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

You don't need to decide exactly what has happened before seeking advice.

4. RECORD

Where appropriate, make a factual note of what you have observed or what your child has said, using their own words.

5. GET ADVICE

If you're worried about a child's safety, seek appropriate safeguarding advice.

6. RESPOND

If you believe a child is at immediate risk of harm, take appropriate urgent action.

You don't have to work this out alone.

For the actual reporting routes, support organisations and what to do when a concern arises, see the Respond section of the Parent Hub.