Support pupils facing online pressure
A short classroom activity and a response guide when a pupil discloses concerning contact. Safeguarding references apply to Denmark.
Prepare the lesson
Adapt the language to pupils' age and needs. Use fictional situations without graphic details from criminal proceedings. Nobody should show their own messages or disclose personal experiences. Pupils can skip an activity and speak to an adult afterwards.
Activity: Friendship or pressure?
Allow about 15 minutes. Read two fictional messages: Would you like to play tomorrow? and If you trust me, you must not tell an adult about this. 1: Discuss the difference between an invitation and a condition. 2: Identify an action that could help the child. 3: Write down an adult role to turn to, such as a teacher. Do not ask for personal experiences. This is a Sprout discussion suggestion, not a test of pupils' safety.
If a pupil discloses an experience
Speak where others cannot overhear. Listen, ask a few open questions and avoid conducting an interview. Record the pupil's own words and your observations through the school's secure procedure. Do not promise secrecy; explain who needs to help and what you will do next.
Act on suspicions
In Denmark, follow the school's safeguarding procedures and involve management without delaying necessary action. Suspected or known abuse must be reported to the municipality. The duty is personal; telling a manager does not replace it. You do not need to prove a crime. If a parent or close family member is suspected, do not inform the parents about the report; seek advice from the municipality.
Do not spread the material
Do not ask pupils to send intimate images to your email, a shared folder or an AI service. Do not store evidence on your personal phone or computer. Ask police or the municipality about secure evidence handling and next steps. In Denmark, call 112 for immediate danger. A class should not investigate a pupil's case, and staff should not contact a suspect as part of their own investigation.
Follow up with the pupil
Agree a named adult and a time to follow up. Do not share the pupil's private experience with the class. Make general agreements about not sharing abusive content and getting adult help. Individual support continues separately from the classroom activity.