What Not to Do When Reporting a Child Safety Concern
When a child's safety is at risk, the instinct to act immediately and decisively is understandable. However, some well-intentioned actions can make things worse — compromising investigations, re-traumatising the child, or increasing risk to both the child and you. This guide covers the most important things to avoid when you discover or suspect a child is being harmed.
Immediate danger — call 999
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. This is always the right first step — nothing here changes that.
What to report
- •Concerns about any form of harm to a child
- •Evidence of abuse, exploitation, or harmful online contact
- •A child's disclosure of something worrying
- •Significant changes in a child's behaviour suggesting they may be at risk
- •Your own observations of harmful situations or relationships
How to report
Do not contact the perpetrator
When to use
Always — in every safeguarding situation
How to contact
Report to CEOP, police (999 or 101), NSPCC (0808 800 5000), the school DSL, or children's services instead. Let trained professionals make contact.
What to expect
Contacting a perpetrator can destroy evidence, alert them to flee, put the child at increased risk of retaliation, and undermine any criminal investigation. Leave this to police.
Do not investigate yourself
When to use
Always — do not approach witnesses, review CCTV, or attempt your own enquiries
How to contact
Preserve any evidence you have accidentally come across and pass it to police. Do not go looking for more evidence beyond what you already have.
What to expect
Untrained individuals gathering evidence can contaminate it and make prosecutions harder. Your role is to report and support — not investigate.
Do not delay reporting
When to use
Always — the temptation to 'wait and see' is understandable but harmful
How to contact
Report your concern as soon as you have it. You do not need to be certain, and you do not need the child's permission in most cases.
What to expect
Delays in reporting allow harm to continue and evidence to be lost. Professionals are trained to assess whether a concern is serious — your job is to report it.
Do not promise confidentiality to the child
When to use
Before any disclosure — and never after one
How to contact
If a child begins to tell you something and asks you to keep it secret, gently explain that you may need to share it to keep them safe, but that you will be careful about who you tell.
What to expect
Promising confidentiality and then breaking it damages the child's trust and may cause them to recant. Being honest from the outset is both ethical and legally correct.
Evidence checklist
Gather this information before or during your report. Do not delay reporting while collecting evidence — but preserve what you can.
- A note of what you have done and not done — to give to police or the DSL
- Screenshots or observations already in your possession — do not go looking for more
- The exact words the child used in any disclosure
- Any documents that came to you without you seeking them out
What to say
You do not need to use a script, but this template may help if you are nervous about making the call. Adapt it to your circumstances.
"I want to report a concern about a child. I have [description of what you observed or were told]. I have not contacted the person I am concerned about, and I have not investigated further. I have [taken screenshots / written down what the child said / preserved the evidence]. I am reporting now because I am worried about the child's safety."
What happens next
Once you have made a report and handed over any evidence, the investigation is in the hands of trained professionals. Your role shifts to supporting the child and being available to answer questions from the investigating team. You may be asked to provide a witness statement. Do not share information about the investigation with others.
What not to do
- ✗Do not contact or confront the person suspected of causing harm
- ✗Do not share images of abuse or exploitation further — including to show others or to use as evidence yourself
- ✗Do not pay blackmail demands — this funds further crime and rarely ends the demands
- ✗Do not blame the child for what has happened — children are never responsible for abuse
- ✗Do not delay seeking help because you are afraid of making a mistake — professionals would rather receive a genuine concern that turns out to be unfounded than not be told
Frequently asked questions
What if I report and nothing happens?
Ask for a reason and a written explanation of the decision. If you remain concerned, you can make a further report, escalate to a more senior manager within the agency, or contact the NSPCC (0808 800 5000) for independent advice. Persistence is appropriate when a child's safety is at stake.
I'm worried about getting the person into trouble if I'm wrong
Reports are assessed by professionals who are trained to distinguish genuine concerns from misunderstandings. Making a report in good faith is protected — you will not face legal action for reporting a concern honestly, even if it turns out to be unfounded.
Sources and further information
- NSPCC — Reporting Abuse — NSPCC
- DfE — What to Do If You Are Worried a Child Is Being Abused — Department for Education
- CEOP — Reporting — NCA / CEOP
This guidance is for informational purposes. It is not a substitute for emergency services or professional safeguarding support. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 (UK) or 911 (US) now.
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-19. This page provides general educational information, not legal or professional safeguarding advice. UK helplines and legislation may change — verify current details with the relevant organisation.