This story contains references to child sexual abuse.
Parents and guardians of young children are being cautioned to take care posting back to school pictures of their little ones with federal police warning it could be used as child abuse material.
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) says parents should be vigilant about the information the images contain and who might have access to them.
AFP commander Helen Schneider said it was an unfortunate reality that innocently posted pictures can be shared or alerted by people with bad intentions.
She said the AFP had seen non-explicit pictures of children and young people become the target of sexualised and inappropriate comments.
Investigators define this as text-based child abuse material.
"While these incidents are rare, the sad reality is they do happen, which is why we are urging families to be proactive with keeping their child's information safe as the 2025 school year gets underway," Schneider said.
She suggested blurring or obscuring the logo of a child's school or uniform or the background of pictures and tightening privacy settings on your post.
"Seemingly innocuous details — such as a child or young person's favourite hobby or a street address visible on the front door— can enable offenders to build a profile of the child with the intent of grooming them, or even manipulating parents or carers to gain access or leverage," Schneider said.
Other advice to parents include talking to others taking pictures of your child about how the photos will be used and shared and avoiding sharing your child's full name and age publicly.
Readers seeking support can contact Lifeline crisis support on 13 11 14, Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467 and Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25). More information is available at and .
Anyone seeking information or support relating to sexual abuse can contact Bravehearts on 1800 272 831 or Blue Knot on 1300 657 380.
