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The Parent Book.
Therapist-written support for parents
A quick tip
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Before Someone Shows Her Porn

Many children come across pornography by accident, often on social media, so talk to her about it before someone shows her.

A two-minute read, three things to try, for ages 9 to 13.

Where to start

  • Talk about it before she’s likely to see it, briefly and more than once.
  • Add one rule, whatever her age: if anyone sends her a naked or sexual picture of someone under 18, or asks her for one, she tells you and doesn’t pass it on. If that happens, never view, copy, print, share, store or save it, or ask a child to send it to you. A screenshot is a copy. Don’t delete anything until you have advice from her school’s designated safeguarding lead. If an adult sent it or asked for one, or anyone is pressuring her to send pictures, report it to specialist police officers. CEOP (the police’s online child protection command). Report at https://www.ceop.police.uk/safety-centre/.
  • If an adult has shown her pornography or sent it to her, treat it as a safeguarding matter and act that day. If it happened online, report it to the same specialist police officers too. If that adult lives in your home, go straight to children’s social care or the police. A national child protection helpline will talk it through with you. NSPCC, 0808 800 5000. Email help@nspcc.org.uk. Mon-Fri 10am-4pm by phone; email 11am-4pm, seven days a week. An email sent when the service is closed is not received. If the NSPCC service is closed and the concern cannot wait, call the police on 101. You can also contact the child’s local out-of-hours children’s social care, social work or social services team. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. Help is free.

The rest of the tip, with more to try and why it works, is in the library.

It goes with

The first chapter you open here is free to read in full.

Free on this subject

  • Sexuality. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.
  • Online safety. What to do first, what helps, and who else can help. Free to read and to print.

Published by Kensington Square Therapy. Company No. 16707111. Written by therapists registered with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and the National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (NCPS). This page is not therapy, and not a substitute for professional support. The full library is at theparentbook.com.