What to do if…
your child tells you someone sexually abused or touched them

What to do now

1. Move your child to a calm place and prevent further contact with the person they named where you can do so safely. Call 999 if your child is in immediate danger or needs emergency medical help.

2. Listen patiently and let your child use their own words. You can say: “I take you seriously”, “You did the right thing by telling me”, and “This is not your fault”.

3. Tell your child what you will do next. Explain that you need to speak to someone who helps keep children safe, and that you will share the information only with people who need it to help them.

4. Contact the safeguarding service for the nation where your child lives: in England, the local authority children’s social care service; in Wales, the local authority social services team; in Scotland, the local council social work or child protection service; or in Northern Ireland, the relevant Health and Social Care Trust Gateway Service. You can also contact the police on 101. You do not need to investigate or be certain before sharing a safeguarding concern. The NSPCC Helpline for adults concerned about a child is 0808 800 5000.

5. Seek medical advice promptly if the touching may have been recent or your child has pain, bleeding, an injury, or concerns about pregnancy or infection. Contact a GP, an emergency department or a local sexual assault referral service. If the contact may have been recent, ask the medical service or police whether anything should be left unwashed, but do not delay care or pressure your child.

6. Let safeguarding and healthcare professionals decide what questions are needed. Give them the information already shared without making your child rehearse or repeat it for you.

7. Offer your child private specialist support without forcing them to use it. Children and young people can call Childline free on 0800 1111 or speak to a counsellor online.