Parent to police
Structured summary for a 101 police report
Structured incident summary to read from or send when contacting the police on 101 about a non-emergency online incident.
When to use this template
Use for non-emergency reports: ongoing harassment, threats, suspected grooming where the child is currently safe, or financial fraud. If your child is in immediate danger, call 999 instead.
Tone guidance
- Read this out as bullet points if calling 101. It helps the call handler log the incident accurately.
- Stay factual. Save interpretation for follow-up.
- If the situation becomes urgent during the call, say so clearly — they can re-route to 999.
- Always ask for a crime reference number and the officer / team handling it.
Template
Calling 101 to report a child safeguarding / online safety incident. Child details: - Name: [YOUR CHILD'S FULL NAME] - Date of birth: [YOUR CHILD'S DATE OF BIRTH] - Current location and safety: [CURRENT LOCATION / SAFETY] Incident: - Type: [TYPE OF INCIDENT] - Started: [START DATE / LAST CONTACT] - Suspect details (if known): [SUSPECT DETAILS] - Platforms / devices involved: [PLATFORMS / DEVICES] Evidence I have: [EVIDENCE YOU HAVE] Other agencies already contacted: [OTHER AGENCIES] Reporting parent / carer: - Name and relationship: [YOUR NAME / RELATIONSHIP] - Best contact number: [YOUR PHONE] What I am asking for: - A crime reference number. - Advice on whether to preserve evidence in a particular way. - The name of the officer or team handling this.
Fields to replace
Before sending, swap every bracketed placeholder for your own details. If a field does not apply, delete the whole line.
- Your child's full name
[YOUR CHILD'S FULL NAME] - Your child's date of birth
[YOUR CHILD'S DATE OF BIRTH] - Your child's current location and safety
[CURRENT LOCATION / SAFETY] - Type of incident
[TYPE OF INCIDENT] - When it started and most recent contact
[START DATE / LAST CONTACT] - Suspect username / account / phone number (if known)
[SUSPECT DETAILS] - Platforms / devices involved
[PLATFORMS / DEVICES] - Evidence you have
[EVIDENCE YOU HAVE] - Other agencies already contacted
[OTHER AGENCIES] - Your name and relationship to the child
[YOUR NAME / RELATIONSHIP] - Best contact number
[YOUR PHONE]
What to attach
- Screenshots of messages, account URLs, and timestamps — kept securely.
- A simple timeline document.
- Any in-app report references or platform correspondence.
What not to include
- Indecent images of any child sent to police by email or text. Wait for police guidance on how to share securely.
- Other families' children's personal details beyond what is necessary.
- Speculation framed as fact — flag anything you are guessing as "I think" or "I'm not sure".
Related
External sources
- How to contact the police — police.uk
- CEOP Safety Centre — National Crime Agency (CEOP)
Last reviewed: 2026-05-20Next review: 2026-08-20Reviewed against: UK safeguarding practice
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.