Stop It Now — Preventing Harm Before a Child Is Hurt
Stop It Now! UK & Ireland exists for the moments before a crime, or the moments after a worry begins. It is for adults concerned about another adult's behaviour towards a child, for adults troubled by their own thoughts or online behaviour, and for parents trying to understand a child's sexualised behaviour. This is a prevention pathway. It sits alongside, not instead of, statutory reporting where a child has already been harmed. Confidentiality is real but not absolute: Stop It Now will act if a specific child is at imminent risk.
Immediate danger — call 999
If you believe a child is being abused right now, call 999. Stop It Now is for preventing harm and changing trajectories — it is not an emergency response service and is not a substitute for calling 999 when a child is in immediate danger.
What to report
- •Worries about an adult in the family, school, or community whose behaviour towards children seems boundary-crossing
- •Concern that a partner, friend or family member is viewing illegal images of children online
- •Your own intrusive thoughts, urges, or online behaviour that frighten you and that you want to stop
- •Sexual behaviour by a child or young person that seems harmful, age-inappropriate, or directed at younger children
- •A pattern of grooming-style behaviour that does not yet meet the threshold for a police report but worries you
How to report
Stop It Now! UK & Ireland — 0808 1000 900
When to use
When you want a confidential conversation about prevention — before harm occurs, or to stop it escalating
How to contact
Call 0808 1000 900 (Mon, Tue, Thu 9am-9pm; Wed, Fri 9am-5pm; check stopitnow.org.uk for current hours). Anonymous web chat and secure messaging at stopitnow.org.uk/get-help/. The Get Help section also hosts self-help modules.
What to expect
Trained, qualified advisers respond without judgement. Calls are confidential. They will only break confidentiality where there is a specific child at imminent risk of significant harm. They can support callers through self-help modules, signpost to specialist therapy, and help families plan safe contact arrangements.
Lucy Faithfull Foundation — parent, professional and self-help resources
When to use
When you want printable guides, self-help modules, or training for professionals working with people who pose a risk to children
How to contact
Visit lucyfaithfull.org.uk. The Foundation runs Stop It Now and provides resources for parents, partners, professionals and people with concerning thoughts.
What to expect
The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is the UK child sexual abuse prevention charity. Their resources are clinically informed and used across UK safeguarding and probation systems.
CEOP — for online sexual content concerns about a known adult
When to use
When the concern is about an adult viewing, sharing, or producing online sexual content involving children
How to contact
Report at ceop.police.uk/ceop-reporting/. Available 24/7. You can report on behalf of someone else.
What to expect
CEOP is part of the National Crime Agency. Reports go to specialist officers. Use CEOP where there is specific online evidence; use Stop It Now where the concern is about behaviour, patterns, or your own urges, with no specific online offence to report.
NSPCC Helpline — 0808 800 5000
When to use
When the adult-only concern is more general — sexualised language around a child, boundary issues, the early signs of grooming
How to contact
Call 0808 800 5000 (free, 24/7) or email [email protected]. You can talk in confidence and the call does not have to result in a formal report.
What to expect
NSPCC safeguarding practitioners will help you think through whether the concern meets a threshold for statutory referral and can make a referral to local children's social care on your behalf if needed. They will explain what may happen next.
Local Children's Social Care — duty team
When to use
Where the concern relates to a specific child you can identify and you believe a referral is needed now
How to contact
Find your local authority's children's social care number and ask for the duty social worker. Out of hours, ring the emergency duty team.
What to expect
Social care will make a decision under section 17 (child in need) or section 47 (significant harm) of the Children Act 1989. You should be given a sense of what will happen next, while specifics about the child's family may not be shared back with you.
Evidence checklist
Gather this information before or during your report. Do not delay reporting while collecting evidence — but preserve what you can.
- A short, written timeline of what you have seen, heard or noticed, in your own words
- Notes of any specific incidents — date, location, who else was present, what was said
- Screenshots, browser history or device evidence only if it is safe and lawful for you to access it
- A list of children who may be in regular contact with the adult of concern
- Names of any professionals already informed — GPs, teachers, social workers, religious leaders
- Honest notes on your own thoughts or behaviour if calling about yourself — Stop It Now uses these as a clinical starting point, not as evidence against you
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'm calling because I am worried about [an adult in my family / a friend / a colleague / a community member / myself]. I have noticed [briefly describe the behaviour or pattern]. I am not sure whether what I have seen is a criminal matter, but I want to think it through with someone before I do anything else. There [is / is not] a specific child I am worried about. I have [told / not told] anyone else. I am calling Stop It Now because I want to prevent harm rather than wait for something worse to happen."
What happens next
A Stop It Now adviser will spend as long as you need talking through the concern. For worries about another adult, they will help you think through safe contact arrangements, what to say to other family members, and whether a statutory referral is needed. For worries about your own thoughts or online behaviour, they will help you reduce immediate risk, complete the Get Help self-help modules, and consider longer-term specialist therapy. The line is not anonymous in a technical sense — calls and chat have safeguarding limits — but the conversation is confidential within clear, stated boundaries. Where a specific child is at imminent risk, advisers will support you to make a statutory referral and may make one themselves. Prevention works: most people who reach out to Stop It Now do not go on to harm a child.
What not to do
- ✗Do not confront the adult of concern about your suspicions before taking advice — this can put a child at greater risk and destroy evidence
- ✗Do not access another adult's devices, accounts or messages in ways that may be unlawful — Stop It Now can advise on safe steps
- ✗Do not assume that 'preventive' contact with Stop It Now stops you from also making a statutory report where a child has been harmed — both can be appropriate
- ✗Do not minimise your own worrying thoughts by telling yourself 'everyone has these' — calling Stop It Now is the safer move
- ✗Do not delay because the worry feels small — early prevention is the whole point of this pathway
Frequently asked questions
Is calling Stop It Now really confidential?
Yes, within clearly stated safeguarding limits. Stop It Now do not share your call with police, employers or family members. They will act — and may make a statutory referral — only if a specific, identifiable child is at imminent risk of significant harm. Their confidentiality boundaries are explained at the start of every call.
Should I call Stop It Now or report to the police?
Both, where appropriate. Stop It Now is a prevention service — useful when no specific crime has been identified, when the concern is about patterns or thoughts, or when you need to decide what to do next. If a child has been sexually abused, or you have evidence of illegal images, call 999 or 101 and use CEOP for online matters. Stop It Now can help you decide and can sit alongside a police report.
I am worried about my own thoughts towards children — what will happen if I call?
You will speak to a trained adviser without judgement. They will talk you through immediate steps to reduce risk, guide you to confidential self-help modules, and discuss longer-term therapy where appropriate. They will not pass your details to police unless they believe a specific child is at imminent risk. Many people who call about their own thoughts never go on to harm a child — that is the point of the service.
Sources and further information
- Stop It Now! UK & Ireland — Get Help — Lucy Faithfull Foundation
- Lucy Faithfull Foundation — Lucy Faithfull Foundation
- CEOP — How to Report — NCA / CEOP
- NSPCC — Helpline — NSPCC
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 — Department for Education
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: 2026-05-22. 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.