Combat Online Grooming

FAQs

Call the hotline if you are a:

child who is missing from home / care or a child who is thinking of leaving home / care
parent or carer of a missing child
child, young person, or adult who has information about a missing child

Make a report to the police if you know of a child who has gone missing. This can be done by anybody, not just the parents or carers. You may also call the 116 000 hotline for support, advice, and to share valuable information about a missing child.

Who answers the calls?

Professionally trained Hotline Operators.

The 116 000 hotline is not available in my country, who can I contact instead?

Always contact your national police to report a missing child or to share information relating to a missing child.

Other national hotlines or children’s organisations are available in your country, you can find this online.

Who can call the 116 000 hotline?

Everyone. Children, young people, parents or carers, families, and third party adults.

If you know about a missing child or if you know of a child at risk of going missing, the 116 000 hotline will be able to support you.

What information am I required to give when I call the 116 000 hotline?

You will be asked for details related to the missing child and their circumstances.

The more information provided the more help this will be for the protection of the child.

Protecting children from grooming and exploitation online and offline and its link with children going missing

Overview

Project description: Building on the results of the CESAGRAM project, the Combat Online Grooming Project (COG project) aims to prevent grooming and further explore its link to child disappearance.
Understanding grooming: grooming of children for sexual purposes, also referred to as solicitation or enticement, refers to the process by which a person, whether an adult or someone in a position of power over a child, deliberately establishes and/or builds a relationship with a child whether online, in person or through a combination of both. The ultimate goal of grooming is to exploit, abuse, or coerce the child into sexual activity, which may take place online, offline, or both.
Why it matters: Grooming, whether online or offline, is a key risk factor for sexual abuse, exploitation, trafficking and disappearance. Through research, prevention, awareness, and advocacy, the project aims to strengthen child protection and support for victims.
Funding: The COG project is co-financed by OAK foundation and the European Union.
Duration: July 2025 to June 2028

Objectives

Strengthen knowledge and research on grooming and its link to missing children.
Equip professionals with better tools, training, and cooperation mechanisms to identify and support victims.
Raise awareness among children, families, and the wider public about grooming risks and available support.
Build partnerships with tech companies to improve prevention, reporting, and victim support online.
Promote stronger policies and public communication to ensure grooming is recognised and addressed as a form of child sexual abuse.

Resources

Contact person

Paola Rando, Senior Project Officer

Salomé Habousha, Project Officer for Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation

Key activities

Research

We will carry out annual studies, design new research proposals, and organize expert seminars to exchange knowledge and best practices on online grooming and the risks of children going missing. The Knowledge Hub, developed through this project, will offer up-to-date resources, practical guidance, and support for professionals, parents, and children.

Awareness and training

To strengthen awareness and skills among children and frontline professionals, we will launch online training modules, continue developing MCE’s educational portfolio, and introduce an interactive board game focused on grooming prevention.
Partnership with tech companies
In collaboration with tech companies, we will implement annual awareness campaigns aimed at engaging broader audiences and enhancing online safety.

Communication and capacity-building

Through our role in the European Child Sexual Abuse Legislation Advocacy Group (ECLAG), we will lead EU-level capacity-building initiatives and run targeted social media campaigns to boost reporting, prevention, and outreach efforts related to grooming and missing children.