Guest Author: John Hammond, Cyber Protect Officer at the East Midlands Regional Cybercrime Unit
The National Crime Agency published a report in 2024 stating that one in five children aged 10-16 had been found to engage in illegal activity online. This figure rose as high as 25% for children involved in gaming online. Many young offenders may be unaware that their actions are criminal, but this behaviour can progress into more complex or serious offending if unaddressed.
Examples of this low-level offending may include using software to illegally access another device or protected server, performing ‘DDoS’ or Denial of Service attacks, or buying something using the saved card details on someone else’s account. Young people who take part in this kind of activity may be unwittingly breaking the law.
The NCA Cyber Choices Programme
The Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2025 guidance requires schools to use the Cyber Choices programme as part of their safeguarding duties. This national initiative, run by the National Crime Agency (NCA) and regional and local policing, helps protect young people from becoming involved in cybercrime.
The programme aims to:
- Educate young people about the legal and ethical use of technology.
- Raise awareness of the cyber offences under the Computer Misuse Act 1990, such as unauthorised computer access.
- Divert young people with strong digital skills away from criminal activities towards positive careers in technology and cybersecurity.
The Responsibility of Schools and Safeguarding Professionals
Many young people are drawn to activities like hacking, DDoS attacks or creating malware out of curiosity or to impress peers. However, they are often unaware these actions are illegal and carry serious consequences. Schools often respond to incidents by excluding these students, which can worsen the problem by increasing isolation and pushing children to turn to online activities.
Cyber Choices offers early intervention before young people cross legal boundaries. Rather than criminalising students, it recognises their talents and provides constructive guidance to channel their skills positively.
How to Refer Young People at Risk of Cybercrime
When you identify a student who may be engaging in or at risk of cybercrime, you can refer them to your local Cyber Choices team with parental permission. You can find local contact details on the NCA website.
This approach aligns with KCSIE’s emphasis on understanding children’s perspectives and taking proactive steps to build digital resilience. By using Cyber Choices, schools can protect students from receiving a permanent criminal record whilst nurturing their cyber skills for legitimate purposes, supporting both the individual’s welfare and the safety of the wider community.
How Safeguarding Software Supports at Risk Students
CPOMS StudentSafe is designed to streamline safeguarding processes and the reporting of any concerns regarding students in education settings in one easy to use platform. With customisable categories of concern, safeguarding leads can track incidents and reports relating to the misuse of technology or AI, social isolation and other warning signs that a child may be at risk of turning to cybercrime. This allows practitioners to more readily identify that a student may need support and perform faster interventions or referrals.
Working in tandem with StudentSafe, CPOMS Engage provides a powerful method of effective information sharing between settings and agencies at the local authority, such as the police force. With this additional level of safeguarding data, schools, alternative provisions and safeguarding practitioners can collaborate more efficiently to track the welfare of students at multiple settings, ensuring that no pupil falls through the gaps.
To see how CPOMS software solutions can protect students from cybercrime in your setting, book a demo today.
For more information about the Cyber Choices programme, including how to make a referral, visit their website here.
