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  1. How We Can Help
  2. I am a young person

What Happens Now?

The police may have visited you because they have information that makes them believe that you are the victim of a crime and may have been harmed. The law states that the police must investigate, and they do this by coming to talk to you. The police officer will explain what they know and will ask some general questions so that they have a better understanding of the situation.  

This can feel awkward as the questions may be embarrassing or you may just not want to talk about it. Some people tell us they say very little at the beginning, whereas others are glad that they can get extra support. Police and other professionals understand this is not easy for you and appreciate how you will be feeling.  

Within the fan cards that were given to you, will be the details of the police officer who is investigating what has happened. You, or your parents and carers will be able to ask this officer any questions you may have. They may not know the answer but if you have any worries or questions about the investigation, they will want you to contact them (that’s why they gave you their details). It can take a bit of time to find out what happened and for the investigation to be completed. The officer will need to check lots of things out. It can take time to identify, find and gather evidence about who has done this to you. 

Once the police have asked some questions and answered any questions that you or your parents/carers may have, they may take a download from your devices to help with their investigation. In some cases, they may need to take your devices away for examination by specialist officers.

It is important to the police officer that you have as much support as you need while they are finding out what has happened. They will speak to your parents, so that they understand what has been done to you and can be there to support you. They will also let children’s social care know what has happened so that they too can see if they can help you. Remember you are not alone and there are lots of people trained in supporting young people this has happened to: 

(specialist Police officer, Social Worker, Teacher, support worker, youth worker, family member, victim support, nurse, doctor, etc) 

What may happen next?

The police will be completing their investigation; therefore, you may not see them as much as some of the other professionals who may be involved. During their investigation the police will be working hard to find and gather evidence about who has done this to you. If the person lives abroad, they will need to speak to other police forces and pass some of the investigation to them. They should keep you updated and if you have any questions about how it is going, just contact them.  

If a social worker needs to see you don’t panic. There are lots of myths about social workers but the only thing they are concerned about is making sure that you are safe and if there is anything they can do to help you. They may want to speak to your parents, or to you directly to find out how you are. They can help you to understand what has happened to you and they can make referrals to other services that can provide specialist help. They may be able to identify someone you can talk to that may help you feel safer when you next go online.  

Police officer at a computer
Doctor talking

In your school there will be a teacher whose job it is to make sure that you are safe and well. This ‘safeguarding’ role means that they can work alongside you, the police and the social worker to agree how to best support you and can be your point of contact in school. If you are worried about going to school and about what people might be saying it is a good idea to talk to them about it. But you can speak to any of the staff in school. 

Some people have a mental health support worker, or regularly see a nurse or doctor. They too can help.  They will want to know if things are worrying you and may be able to offer ways to support you to feel less worried for example helping you speak to people about how you are feeling or if things need to happen at home or school to support you better.   

The person who has done this to you may have broken the law so you will be seen as the victim. This guidance (Hyperlink to the victim Code) tells you what support and information a victim of crime in England and Wales should get from agencies within the criminal justice system.  

The police officer may have either taken a download from your device or may have needed to take it away to get the evidence of what has happened. If they need to take your device it may take some time before you get it back. It is okay to ask the officer if your device has been looked at and when you are likely to get it back (you can find their details on the back of the fan cards).  

The police officer may want to interview you.  They will discuss this with you, to see if you are willing to provide a statement and arrange where and when that happens. This should be at a time that suits you.  You can give your statement in several ways.  It can either be a written statement , audio recorded, or video recorded. It is up to you which you want to do.  Talk it through with the police officer to agree what is best for you in your case, they are used to answering lots of questions people may have about giving statements. 

Click here to go to the next page: Understanding How I Feel
Teacher talking to student

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