Parents' guide — sextortion

My child is being asked to send photos — what to do tonight (2026)

If someone is pressuring your child to send nude or sexual photos, start here: it is not your child's fault, do not pay anything, do not send more, and do not delete the messages — they are evidence. Stop the contact, block the account, and report it. This guide walks you through the next hour, the free UK helplines to ring now, and what to do in the morning.

By the Safeinest team — written by parents, checked against what the apps really do · Published 9 November 2026

If it is happening tonight

Take one slow breath. Your child is not in trouble, and this is not their fault. Someone older or more cunning has tricked, bribed or threatened them into this. It is a crime done to your child, not by them.

Hold on to a few simple rules tonight. Do not pay any money. Do not send any more photos. Stop all contact with the person. Block the account — but do not delete the messages, because they are the evidence. Then report it.

Keep these free UK numbers where you can see them. They are open now.

Childline, free on 0800 1111 — for your child, any hour.
NSPCC on 0808 800 5000 — for you, the adult, when you are not sure what to do next.
999 — in an emergency, if your child is in danger right now.

There is also a tool that can try to get an image taken down. Report Remove, run by Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation, lets a young person under 18 report a nude image of themselves so it can be found and removed from the internet. In the United States the same job is done by the NCMEC CyberTipline and its Take It Down service. Use them by name through their websites — do not look for a phone number, as these are online report tools.

Outside the UK, call your local emergency number or your country's child helpline.

The short answer

Tell your child plainly that they are not in trouble and that you are glad they told you — or glad you found out. Then, together, stop the contact, keep the messages as evidence, block the account, and report it tonight.

The next hour, step by step

Go to your child calmly. Sit down, lower your voice, keep your face kind. Fear and anger will close the door.
Say it out loud: "You are not in trouble. I am glad you told me." If you found out another way, say "I am glad I know, and we will sort this out together."
Stop all contact with the person. No more replies, no more photos, no more calls.
Do not send money, and do not send any more images. Paying or sending more never makes it stop.
Keep the evidence first. Take screenshots of the messages, the account name and the profile before you block anyone.
Block and report the account on the app or site where it happened. Every big app has a report button for this.
Use Report Remove to try to get an image taken down, through the Childline and Internet Watch Foundation website.
Agree what happens next, together — who you will tell, and that you are doing this side by side.
Stay close tonight. Do not leave your child alone with their worry.

If they have already sent money or more images

If your child has already paid, or sent more photos, do not panic and do not blame them. Blackmailers rarely stop when you pay — paying usually tells them there is more to get, so it often makes things worse, not better. It is not too late to change course.

Stop now. Send nothing more, pay nothing more, and keep every message as evidence. Report it to the police: in the UK call 101 for the non-emergency line, or 999 if your child is in immediate danger. The police deal with this often, and your child will not be in trouble for being a victim.

Keeping the phone — and the evidence

It is tempting to wipe everything away so it feels over. Please do not. The messages, the account and the images are evidence, and the people who can help — the police, the report tools — may need them.

So do not delete the chat, do not delete the account, and do not delete the images from the phone. Take clear screenshots of the conversation, the username and the profile, so you have a copy even if the stranger deletes their side. Do not confront the stranger yourself, and do not pretend to be your child to catch them out — leave that to the police. Keeping the phone and its messages safe is one of the most useful things you can do tonight.

The numbers

Your child is not alone, and neither are you. These figures come from named sources.

What	The number	Source
Children worldwide who faced online sexual exploitation or abuse in one year	About 1 in 8 — around 302 million	Childlight, University of Edinburgh
US 9–17-year-olds who had an online sexual interaction	27%; of those, about 1 in 5 told no one	Thorn
Children who were sextorted and told no one	1 in 3	Hope for Justice
Groomed children who did tell someone	93% told a friend; only 19% told their mother	Bravehearts

Many children who stay silent say they felt embarrassed, or scared of being judged (Thorn). LGfL research, shared by Internet Matters, found 2 in 5 children never told anyone about the worst thing they saw online. Your child telling you, or you finding out, has already broken that silence.

What to say to your child

You do not need perfect words. These are enough:

"This is not your fault. You have not done anything wrong, and I am not angry with you. People like this trick thousands of children — you were tricked, and that is on them, not you. We are going to stop this together, and I am not going anywhere."

Say it slowly, and say it more than once tonight.

Tomorrow and the days after

The fear usually fades fast once the money and the contact stop. Blackmail threats are almost never carried out — the person wants money or control, and when both dry up, they move on. Keep reminding your child of that.

Over the next days, watch their mood. If the person is someone from school, tell the school's designated safeguarding lead. Get support — Childline and the NSPCC are there for the days after, not only tonight. And look after yourself too; this is heavy to carry.

If your child seems very low or talks about hurting themselves, our guide on a child who sends a message about hurting themselves walks you through that. If you are still working out who this person was, the signs of online grooming and what to do when a child is messaging a stranger online can help.

About this guide

This guide is published by the parent-led team behind Safeinest, a family-safety app. It is written to stand on its own: nothing above needs the app. If, later, you want to know what an app can and cannot do on an Android phone or an iPhone, the honest version is on our features page.

Common questions

Should I pay to make the photos go away?

No. Paying almost never makes it stop. Blackmailers see payment as proof there is more to get, so they usually come back asking for more. Stop all contact, keep the messages as evidence, block the account, and report it to the police on 101, or 999 if your child is in danger. Your child is a victim here, not in trouble.

Is this my child's fault?

No. Someone older or more cunning tricked, bribed or threatened your child, and that is a crime done to them. Children are targeted in their thousands by people who do this for money or control. Tell your child clearly that they are not in trouble and have done nothing wrong. Blame pushes a frightened child into silence, which is exactly what the blackmailer wants.

Should I delete the messages and photos?

No, not yet. The messages, the account and the images are evidence that the police and the take-down tools may need. Take clear screenshots of the chat, the username and the profile first, then block the account without deleting the conversation. Keeping the phone and its messages safe is one of the most useful things you can do tonight.

How do I get a nude image taken down?

In the UK, a young person under 18 can use Report Remove, run by Childline and the Internet Watch Foundation, to report a nude image of themselves so it can be found and removed. In the United States, the NCMEC CyberTipline and its Take It Down service do the same. These are online report tools, so use them by name through their websites.

Who do I call tonight in the UK?

Childline is free on 0800 1111, any hour, for your child. The NSPCC is on 0808 800 5000 for you, the adult, when you are unsure what to do next. In an emergency, if your child is in danger right now, call 999. For a crime that is not an emergency, the police non-emergency line is 101. Outside the UK, call your local emergency number or child helpline.

What if my child has already sent more photos or paid money?

It is not too late. Stop now, send nothing more and pay nothing more. Paying usually makes blackmailers ask for more, not leave. Keep every message as evidence and report it to the police on 101, or 999 in immediate danger. Do not blame your child; they were tricked, and they need you calm beside them, not angry.

Will the blackmailer really share the photos?

Almost never. The threat is the weapon, because the person wants money or control, not to actually post anything, since posting ends their hold. Once the money and contact stop, they nearly always move on to an easier target. Keep reminding your child of this. Block, report, and do not reply, and the pressure usually fades within days.

Should I tell the school?

If the person is someone from your child's school, yes, tell the designated safeguarding lead, and tell your child you are doing it. Schools handle these situations more often than parents realise and can keep a quiet eye during the day. If the blackmailer is a stranger online, the police and the report tools are the right route rather than the school.

My child is too embarrassed to talk — what do I do?

Lead with warmth, not questions. Say: you are not in trouble, I am not angry, and nothing you tell me will change that. Embarrassment and fear of being judged are the main reasons children stay silent. Offer someone else if they cannot face you, such as Childline on 0800 1111, which is free and private. Being heard by anyone is what matters most tonight.