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Safety first, always

Keeping families safe

Puddle is for families, so safety is part of every conversation and every meetup. Here’s what we ask of everyone, and the tools you have to stay in control.

Before you message

Community guidelines

Everyone agrees to these guidelines at the start of every conversation, before they can send a message.

  1. 1

    Be kind and respectful

    Treat other families the way you’d like yours to be treated, even when you disagree.

  2. 2

    Zero tolerance for abuse

    Harassment, bullying, hate speech, threats, sexual content and scams are not allowed. We suspend or remove accounts that break these rules and report illegal behaviour to the police.

  3. 3

    Protect children’s privacy

    Don’t ask for or share children’s full names, photos, schools or exact locations in messages.

  4. 4

    Go at your own pace

    Keep early chats on Puddle. Share phone numbers or social media only when you’re comfortable.

  5. 5

    Meet safely

    Meet somewhere public first, with a parent or carer present, and tell someone where you’re going.

  6. 6

    Report and block

    If something feels wrong, report it. You can block a family at any time and they won’t be told.

Before you meet

Meeting safely

Meetups bring families together in real life. Everyone agrees to these steps before creating or joining an in-person meetup.

  1. 1

    Meet in public

    Choose busy, public places like parks, libraries or cafés, especially the first time.

  2. 2

    Children stay with their grown-ups

    Every child is supervised by their own parent or carer for the whole meetup.

  3. 3

    Tell someone

    Let a friend or family member know where you’re going and when you’ll be back.

  4. 4

    Trust your instincts

    If something doesn’t feel right, leave. You never need to explain.

  5. 5

    Report concerns

    Report anything worrying in the app. If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999.

Block and report, anytime

Blocking

Block a family from their profile or any conversation. You’ll stop seeing each other, they can’t message you, and they’re never told.

Reporting

Report a profile or a message and tell us what happened. Our team reviews every report and may remove content, suspend accounts or contact the police.

Private by default

Share only what you need to

  • Age ranges, not ages

    You share the age groups of your children, never their names or birthdays.

  • Areas, not addresses

    You choose a town and how far you’ll travel. We never use your precise location.

  • Pins are private

    Only you can see who you’ve pinned. Nobody is told.

  • Meetup details for those going

    Addresses and joining links are only shown to families going to a meetup.

Read our privacy policy for the full details.

Getting help

Puddle isn’t an emergency service. If you’re worried about someone’s safety, contact the right people straight away.

  • Emergency

    If anyone is in immediate danger

    999

  • Police, non-emergency

    To report a crime or concern

    101

  • NSPCC helpline

    Worried about a child (adults)

    0808 800 5000

  • Childline

    Free, confidential support for children

    0800 1111