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Research Hub

A UK statistics and sources index for researchers, journalists, teachers, and parents who need verifiable numbers.

We cite UK authoritative bodies only. Nothing on this hub is original research. Every figure on SafeChildGuide should be traceable to a named, dated source listed here, and all entries on this page were checked at the date shown at the foot of the page. Where we cannot vouch for a precise number, we use qualitative framing and link to the source so you can read the figure in context.

Key UK sources

The bodies below are the primary places we look for UK child online safety data. Open the report you intend to quote and reproduce the figure verbatim with its publication year.

Ofcom - Children's Media Lives

Longitudinal qualitative study following the same UK children year after year to track how their media habits evolve.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Ofcom - Online Nation

Ofcom's annual UK survey of what adults and children do online, including time spent, platforms used, and exposure to harm.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

NSPCC - How Safe Are Our Children?

NSPCC's flagship annual report compiling indicators of child abuse and neglect across the four UK nations.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Internet Matters - Children's Wellbeing in a Digital World Index

Annual UK parent and child survey tracking online wellbeing, screen time, and exposure to risk.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

5Rights Foundation - Research

Research papers focused on children's rights in the digital environment, design-based harm, and age-appropriate platforms.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

UK Council for Internet Safety (UKCIS) - Research collection

UK government collection of multi-stakeholder online safety research and evidence reviews.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

IICSA - Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse archive

The archived public record of IICSA findings, recommendations, and witness evidence from the 2014 to 2022 inquiry.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Internet Watch Foundation - Annual Report

IWF's annual report on confirmed child sexual abuse imagery removed from the open web, including trends in AI-generated material.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Office for National Statistics - Crime Survey for England and Wales (child victims module)

ONS data on the prevalence of abuse experienced before age 16, drawn from the Crime Survey for England and Wales.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

NCA - National Strategic Assessment of Serious and Organised Crime

The National Crime Agency's annual assessment, including a child sexual abuse threat chapter and CEOP data on online offending.

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Topic snapshots

Short, qualitative summaries of where each topic currently stands in UK evidence. We do not put a single headline number on these because survey design, age bands, and reporting years differ; please open the named source for the figure you need.

Online grooming

NCA and CEOP assessments describe grooming as a persistent and growing online threat to UK children, with offenders moving between platforms to evade detection. NSPCC analysis of police data has consistently shown rising recorded sexual communication with a child offences year on year. For verified figures, consult the latest NCA National Strategic Assessment and NSPCC's How Safe Are Our Children?

NCA National Strategic Assessment and NSPCC How Safe Are Our Children?

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Cyberbullying

Ofcom's Online Nation and Internet Matters' Wellbeing Index both report that a meaningful minority of UK children encounter bullying or hurtful contact online each year, with girls and disabled children disproportionately affected. We do not publish a single headline percentage because survey instruments and age bands differ; refer to the source year you are quoting.

Ofcom Online Nation and Internet Matters Wellbeing Index

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Sextortion

The NCA has issued public alerts about a sharp rise in financially motivated sextortion targeting UK teenage boys, with offenders typically based overseas. The Internet Watch Foundation tracks related image-based abuse. For the most current threat picture, use the latest NCA alert and the IWF annual report rather than older figures.

NCA public alerts and IWF annual report

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Self-harm content exposure

Ofcom research and Molly Rose Foundation analysis have documented that algorithmic feeds can expose young users to self-harm and suicide content quickly. Quantitative claims vary by methodology and platform; cite the original Ofcom or charity report rather than secondary press summaries.

Ofcom research on online harms

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Screen time and wellbeing

Ofcom's Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes report tracks how long UK children spend on connected devices and on which platforms. UK academic consensus is that the relationship between screen time and wellbeing is non-linear and depends on content and context, not a single threshold. Quote Ofcom for behavioural data and named UK academic reviews for causal claims.

Ofcom Children and Parents Media Use and Attitudes

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

AI-generated CSAM trends

The Internet Watch Foundation has published successive reports describing a rapid increase in AI-generated child sexual abuse material on the open web, including realistic imagery of identifiable children. For current figures, use the most recent IWF report rather than archived ones, as the picture is changing fast.

IWF reports on AI-generated CSAM

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

Online radicalisation referrals

The Home Office publishes annual Prevent statistics, which include the share of referrals connected to online activity and the share of children and young people in the cohort. These figures are released under official statistics protocols; cite the Home Office release directly.

Home Office Prevent statistics

Last reviewed 2026-06-14

For journalists and researchers

If you are quoting SafeChildGuide in published work, please cite the underlying UK source rather than this page. If you spot a number on the site that is not traceable to a named source, tell us and we will fix it promptly.

Contact the editorial team

Press queries, source verification, and interview requests.

Editorial standards

How we write, review, and date everything we publish.

Corrections policy

How to flag an error and how we log and resolve corrections.

Source library

Our wider library of legislation, charity reports, and guidance.

Methodology note

Numbers update annually. If a source has refreshed since we last reviewed this hub on 2026-06-14, please email us and we will check, update, and re-date the entry. Next scheduled review: 2026-12-14.