Helping Your Child Build Safe and Healthy Online Relationships
The internet allows children and young people to make friends, stay in touch with family, work together on school projects and connect with people who share their interests.
Most online interactions are positive. However, some people use the internet to manipulate, exploit or harm children.
By talking openly and regularly with your child, you can help them recognise when something doesn’t feel right and encourage them to seek help if they are worried.
Healthy Online Relationships
A healthy online friendship or relationship should make your child feel:
- safe
- respected
- valued
- listened to
- comfortable saying “no”
A healthy relationship should never involve pressure, threats, secrets or fear.
Help your child understand that they should never feel forced to do something online that makes them uncomfortable.
Not Everyone Online Is Who They Say They Are
It can be difficult to know who someone really is online.
People can:
- pretend to be younger than they are
- use fake photographs
- create false identities
- lie about their interests or background
- spend time building trust before asking for something
Remind your child that someone they have spoken to online for weeks or even months is still someone they only know online.
Warning Signs to Look Out For
Encourage your child to tell you if someone online:
- asks them to keep conversations secret
- wants to move conversations to another app
- asks lots of personal questions
- asks for photographs or videos
- pressures them to do something they don’t want to do
- offers gifts, money or rewards
- makes them feel guilty for saying no
- asks to meet in person
These are warning signs that should always be taken seriously.
Talking About Sharing Images
As children get older, they may experience pressure to send photos or videos.
It is important to have calm, age-appropriate conversations about this before it becomes an issue.
Help your child understand:
- once an image is shared, they lose control of where it goes
- screenshots can be taken, even on apps where messages disappear
- nobody has the right to pressure them into sharing images
- they should never feel embarrassed about asking for help
Children who come forward should always be reassured that they have done the right thing by telling a trusted adult.
Nude and semi-nude images
Nudes and semi-nudes are legally and defined to include imagery that is:
- Self-generated (taken by the young person themselves).
- Taken or created by another individual
- Digitally altered or wholly generated using AI (such as deepfakes or app-manipulated photos)
In UK law, any sexual image of a person under the age of 18 is treated as an indecent image of a child, regardless of whether they consented to making it or whether the image was generated by an AI tool.
Guidelines emphasise that these situations should be treated as safeguarding concerns first, rather than criminal ones. This is to protect the child, provide emotional support, and stop the spread of the content, rather than criminalising young people.
If Something Has Already Happened
If your child tells you they have shared an image, are being blackmailed or have been contacted by someone who makes them feel unsafe:
- stay calm
- listen without judgement
- reassure them that they are not alone
- avoid blaming or criticising them
- keep any evidence, such as screenshots or messages
- block and report the account where appropriate
- seek advice and support as soon as possible
Children are far more likely to seek help if they know they will be supported rather than punished.
Meeting Someone They Have Only Met Online
Children should never arrange to meet someone they only know online without the knowledge and involvement of a trusted adult.
If an online contact asks to meet:
- encourage your child to tell you immediately
- do not allow them to meet alone
- report any concerning behaviour if necessary
Most online friendships are genuine, but it is impossible to know for certain who someone is through a screen.
Start Conversations Early
Online safety works best when conversations happen regularly.
You could ask:
- Who do you usually talk to online?
- Do you know all of those people in real life?
- Has anyone online ever made you feel uncomfortable?
- Would you know what to do if someone asked for a photo?
- Who would you tell if something worried you online?
Keeping conversations relaxed and non-judgemental makes it more likely your child will come to you if they need help.
Remember
Children rarely tell adults about online problems because they are worried about getting into trouble or losing access to their devices.
One of the most powerful things you can say is:
“Whatever happens online, you can always tell me. We will work through it together.”
That reassurance can make all the difference when a child needs help.
Useful external links
Thinkuknow (CEOP) – Parents
Advice from the National Crime Agency on online grooming, healthy relationships and keeping children safe online.
https://www.thinkuknow.co.uk/parents/
CEOP Safety Centre – Make a Report
If you are worried that someone has communicated with your child online in a sexual way, attempted to groom them, or is trying to exploit them, you can make a report directly to CEOP.
https://www.ceop.police.uk/Safety-Centre/
NSPCC – Keeping Children Safe Online
Advice on online grooming, image sharing, online relationships and talking to children.
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/online-safety/
Internet Matters – Online Relationships
Practical guidance to help parents support children in developing safe and healthy online relationships.
https://www.internetmatters.org/issues/online-relationships/
Childnet – Parents and Carers
Support for discussing online friendships, respectful behaviour and staying safe online.
https://www.childnet.com/help-and-advice/parents-and-carers/
Report Remove (Childline & Internet Watch Foundation)
If a child under 18 has shared a nude image or a sexual image of themselves online, or someone has shared one without their permission, Report Remove can help remove it from the internet.
https://www.childline.org.uk/info-advice/bullying-abuse-safety/online-mobile-safety/report-remove/