Northamptonshire Police launch online child safety campaign

The force has today, Wednesday, July 1, launched a child safety campaign aimed at raising awareness of the online harms that exist for children and young people.

The release of a one-minute video, played by actors, aims to raise awareness of the harm that young children can be exposed to while online and encourages parents to have conversations with their children, while setting appropriate online and device restrictions to help protect them.

To view the video: click here

Over the past two years, between June 2024 to May 2026, a total of 3091 online crimes were reported to Northamptonshire Police where the victim was under 18.

A total of 1,148 offences relating to indecent images of children were recorded in the same period.

Teenage children were identified as being most at risk of harm, with those aged 13-15 accounting for almost 40 per cent of all online child offences.

A greater percentage of children will know their offender as an acquaintance, family member or partner than those recorded as a stranger.

Detective Superintendent Jen Castle, in charge of Protecting Vulnerable People, said: “Today, adolescence is lived both offline and online. Young people are constantly connected — through phones, tablets, gaming platforms and messaging apps.

“While being online can have benefits for young people, harm exists in places and ways that we wouldn’t always recognise. A third of children say they have accepted a friend request from someone they do not know. The UK’s most senior doctors have made a stark comparison: Social media use is now considered as significant a risk to young people’s health as smoking.

“We are increasingly seeing children exposed to harmful material online — including content linked to violence, self-harm, eating disorders and pornography.

 “This type of exposure can influence beliefs, behaviour and mental health, and in some cases, normalise harm.”

Speaking about what we can do, Detective Superintendent Castle, said: “Spotting the signs provide parents with an opportunity to intervene and support.

“But most importantly, we must listen to young people and talk to them about their online lives — openly, without judgement — creating environments where they feel safe to share what they are experiencing. Because if we don’t, others will fill that space.”

The campaign will be rolled out across ITVX, social media, and website and outdoor advertising. The aim is that it will help raise awareness of where parents can go, to find information on online safety actions they can take, while partner agencies and schools will be able to use the materials to open up conversations with young people about online safety.

According to OFCOM research, algorithms drive content exposure. About 35 per cent of children report seeing potentially harmful or inappropriate content simply by scrolling through their feeds.

Over half of children (56 per cent) use AI tools, with some using them for companionship. However, many struggle to distinguish between different AI tools or question their accuracy.

About two-thirds of children watch livestreamed videos.

Nearly three-quarters of older children (ages 11–17) report seeing harmful content online.

For support with understanding the online world, speaking to your child about online safety, setting parental controls and keeping young people safe online, visit the NSCPCC website.

For more information about the campaign, visit www.northants.police.uk/eyeswideopen

A preview and information event for local partner organisations and schools was held on Tuesday, June 30, ahead of launch. To View the event video click here