We recognise the majority of people in caregiving roles — social workers, foster carers, teachers, religious leaders, relatives, and mentors — genuinely care about children's welfare. You may be reading this because you want to protect a child, or have already made a submission on behalf of a child who has been failed by the systems that should have kept them safe.
However, we are not naive to the documented reality predators specifically seek trusted positions with access to vulnerable children. Operation Hydrant has identified over 8,400 suspects in positions of trust, including 86 religious institutions, 25 prisons/young offenders institutes, and 81 other care institutions. We will not be a means for those seeking to harm children or cover up their crimes.
Research shows children in foster care are nearly four times more likely to report sexual abuse than those in family homes. FBI raids in 2013 found more than half of child sex trafficking victims recovered were from foster care or group homes. National data shows over 50,000 substantiated cases of abuse in care annually, with perpetrators commonly including foster parents, group home staff, and institutional caregivers.
This is not an attack on genuine caregivers — it is recognition vulnerable children are systematically targeted by those who exploit positions of trust. Our verification processes reflect this reality.
Requests which trigger enhanced scrutiny and potential referral to authorities include: seeking information about specific allegations against yourself or your institution; requesting access without clear child protection justification; providing false or incomplete verification details; attempting to access information about children not in your direct care; or showing patterns consistent with predatory information gathering.
Any request which raises safeguarding concerns will be immediately referred to local police, children's services, or relevant child protection authorities before any access is considered. You will not be notified
For verified, legitimate caregivers seeking to protect children from ongoing harm, we provide dedicated support. This includes guidance on safeguarding procedures, assistance liaising with authorities, and priority processing where child welfare is at immediate risk.
We particularly recognise the difficult position of caregivers who discover abuse within their institutions or networks, where normal reporting channels may be compromised. In these cases, we can provide guidance on crime reporting protections and appropriate escalation procedures.
If a child is in immediate danger, contact emergency services on 999 immediately. For urgent safeguarding concerns, contact your local authority children's services or the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000.
For verified emergency access to our data where child welfare is at immediate risk, contact [email protected] with full verification details and supervising authority contact information.
Access is only granted where it meets a lawful basis under UK GDPR, including:
Every request is subject to identity and role verification. False statements or fraudulent applications will be reported under the Fraud Act 2006 and may be treated as obtaining services dishonestly.
All access is logged and may be audited. Breaches can result in access withdrawal, referral to regulators, and potential civil or criminal action under: