Make it easy for a child to tell someone
Children may stay silent because they fear losing their device, game or social account. A first response that focuses on safety rather than punishment makes it more likely they will report problems early in future.
Listen to what happened, ask what the child wants to happen next and avoid promising that every detail will stay secret if there is a serious safety concern that requires adult action.
Save evidence before blocking when appropriate
Screenshots, usernames, dates, URLs and message history can be useful if the behaviour needs to be reported to a school, platform or other authority. Preserve enough context to show what happened rather than collecting or redistributing harmful material unnecessarily.
After useful evidence is saved, blocking or muting can reduce continued contact while reports are assessed.
Use the platform and school reporting routes
Report abusive accounts, posts or messages through the platform's official controls. If students from the same school are involved, the school may also have behaviour, wellbeing or safeguarding processes that apply even when some activity happened outside school hours.
Keep a simple record of reports and responses if the behaviour continues. Repeated patterns are easier to address when there is a clear timeline.
Do not ask the child to fight back publicly
Public retaliation can increase attention, create additional screenshots and make it harder to separate the original behaviour from the response. The safer goal is usually to reduce contact, report appropriately and involve adults who can help.
Friends can support the targeted child without amplifying the harmful post. They can avoid liking, forwarding or commenting on humiliating content and can report it instead.
Escalate threats and immediate safety concerns
Threats of violence, stalking, blackmail, extortion or disclosure of highly sensitive information require a more serious response. Involve a trusted adult immediately and use the appropriate local reporting or emergency service when there is an immediate risk of harm.
The child should not be expected to investigate who is responsible or negotiate with someone making threats.
Listen first, preserve useful evidence, block and report, involve the school or platform when relevant and escalate serious threats rather than leaving a child to manage them alone.
Continue with the Cyber Safety Hub, practise the ideas in Ranger Academy, or use the free printable resources at home or in the classroom.