Grooming is a process that "involves the offender building a relationship with a child, and sometimes with their wider family, gaining their trust and a position of power over the child, in preparation for abuse."
(CEOP, 2022)
Grooming can happen anywhere, including:
- online
- in organisations
- in public spaces (also known as street grooming)
Children and young people can be groomed by a stranger or by someone they know – such as a family member, friend or professional. The age gap between a child and their groomer can be relatively small.