A PILOT scheme to protect vulnerable youngsters from sexual abuse online is launching at the Warrington branch of the NSPCC.

In Ctrl (In Control) is aimed at children aged between nine and 13 to prevent them from falling victim to online sexual abuse.

A number of schools across the town have signed up to the workshops which aim to safeguard children who may have existing vulnerabilities due to previous adverse experiences in their childhood.

These may include physical, sexual, domestic or emotional abuse, neglect, parental ill health, substance use, absence or separation from parents.

The sessions will be led by practitioners Rob Reed and Sharifa Mohammed in small groups or on a one-to-one basis in school.

With the constant release of new social media platforms, some parents do not know how to keep their children safe online.

Rob Reed said: "We are getting examples of children being groomed through Tik Tok, Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook - there are so many social media platforms around where exploitation can take place.

"We will work with these vulnerable children to help them understand the dangers online and the steps they can take to avoid these."

The practitioners support parents, helping them to understand what work that is being offered to their children and the opportunity to discuss any concerns they have online.

Helen Lewandowska, project team manager at NSPCC Warrington, said: "One in 20 children at primary school age have received sexual images and 27 per cent of children say cyber bullying is their biggest fear.

"In Ctrl is a preventative service where we help young children understand the importance of social media and that it can be used in a safe way.

"We make them aware of the risks that are out there online and the safety measures families can take.

"They will learn how to build healthy relationships and friendships online while keeping safe.

"Children can be easily exploited and groomed through apps and In Ctrl works by educating users so they will not have to use our other services later on in life."

The Warrington service centre has also signed a joint letter alongside 128 other organisations calling on Facebook to reconsider their end-to-end encryption plans.

An unprecedented coalition of child protection organisations has told Mark Zuckerberg not to ‘blindfold’ himself to child sexual abuse on Facebook’s platforms.

Facebook’s plans to encrypt messages risks more serious and sustained sexual abuse on its platforms, the letter warns.

Warrington's service centre, in Great Sankey, helps some of the most vulnerable children and families across St Helens, Cheshire West, Chester and Cheshire East, bringing help and treatment to those children most at risk.

The team accepts referrals from Warrington Borough Council and other service providers such as education and police, and also takes self-referrals from families or young people direct who meet the criteria of the services were offer.

Through therapeutic help such as painting, story-telling and messy play, abused children are helped to rebuild their lives and express their feelings they find difficult to put into words.

The Peace Drive centre also delivers the Turn The Page programme which helps young people who have exhibited harmful sexual behaviours by improving their psychological functioning, optimism about the future and wellbeing.

It is hoped that In Ctrl will prevent a high number of children from needing to access such services in the future.