Lesson Overview
| Duration | 75 minutes |
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| Key Stage | College (Post-16) |
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| Subject Links | PSHE, Health & Social Care, Public Services, Criminology |
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| Resources Needed | Pupil handouts, Quiz, Presentation slides |
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Learning Objectives
- Understand the full spectrum of child sexual exploitation online and its scale in the UK
- Apply safeguarding frameworks to online grooming and CSEA scenarios
- Develop professional-level identification skills for online exploitation in education and care settings
- Understand trauma-informed approaches to disclosures of online sexual abuse
- Know the full referral pathway from first disclosure to multi-agency response
Key Information
- The Internet Watch Foundation removed over 275,000 URLs hosting CSAM in 2024
- Self-generated imagery now constitutes the majority of newly identified CSAM
- Sextortion cases reported to the NCA increased 300% between 2020 and 2024
- The average age of first exploitation in online grooming cases is 12
- 87% of CSAM identified by IWF depicts girls, though male victimisation is significantly under-reported
Legal Framework
- Sexual Offences Act 2003 — full range of child sexual exploitation offences
- Protection of Children Act 1978 — indecent images; includes AI-generated content
- Modern Slavery Act 2015, Section 45 — statutory defence for child victims
- Online Safety Act 2023 — CSAM as illegal content; platforms must proactively remove
- Children's Wellbeing and Schools Act 2024 — Mandatory Reporting Duty
- Achieving Best Evidence (ABE) guidance — professional standards for handling disclosures
Lesson Plan
10 mins The Scale of Online CSEA
IWF statistics. Self-generated content and sextortion. The AI dimension. Why scale matters for professional practice.
12 mins Professional Identification
What do online grooming and CSEA look like from the perspective of a teacher, social worker, health professional, or youth worker? Scenario-based identification practice.
12 mins Trauma-Informed Disclosure Practice
Why victims minimise, deny, and recant. The neuroscience of trauma and memory. What to say and what not to say. ABE guidance in practice.
10 mins The Referral Pathway
From first disclosure to multi-agency safeguarding response. CEOP. Police. Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO). What each agency does and when.
10 mins AI and Emerging Threats
AI-generated CSAM. Deepfakes involving real children. Synthetic grooming personas. How should professional practice adapt?
6 mins Reflection and Q&A
What surprised you? What has changed your understanding? What will you do differently?
⚠️ Safeguarding Considerations
- This is professional development as well as awareness — participants should leave knowing their referral duties
- Content is graphic and may be distressing — ensure pastoral support is available
- Participants may have personal or professional experience of CSEA — create a safe space
- The Mandatory Reporting Duty means education professionals in this room have a legal obligation to refer
If a pupil makes a disclosure during this session, follow your school's safeguarding procedures and refer to your DSL immediately.
Key Messages
- Online CSEA is the fastest-growing safeguarding concern in the UK — professional awareness is essential
- Self-generated imagery is now the majority of newly identified CSAM — this changes the nature of the problem
- Trauma-informed disclosure practice requires specific training — not just good intentions
- The referral pathway from CEOP to local authority to police is well-established and effective when used correctly
- AI-generated CSAM and deepfakes require updated professional guidance — the law has kept pace, practice must too
Support Resources
| Organisation | Contact | Purpose |
|---|
| Childline | 0800 1111 | 24/7 support for young people |
| Crimestoppers | 0800 555 111 | 100% anonymous reporting |
| CEOP | ceop.police.uk | Report online exploitation |
| NSPCC | 0808 800 5000 | Child protection advice |
| Emergency | 999 | Immediate danger |