A CHARITY has called for a government-led taskforce to be set up to support child victims of online abuse ahead of an international conference on the growing problem.

The Marie Collins Foundation (MCF), based in Masham, North Yorkshire, is the UK’s leading charity in supporting child victims of online sex abuse and is urging the Government to set up a taskforce to tackle an issue it says is not being taken as seriously as other abuse.

The charity is hosting an international conference in London tomorrow (July 9) bringing together police, children’s services, health and education.

The Minister for Preventing Abuse and Exploitation Karen Bradley is expected to attend the conference which aims to identify the current extent of online sexual abuse of children, how it is being tackled, best practice for supporting victims and what more must be done.

It will include a number of speakers including abuse survivor Marie Collins, appointed last year by the Pope to his Commission for the Protection of Minors.

Tink Palmer, chief executive of MCF and a world-renowned expert in the recovery of children harmed online, said victims are not receiving the help they need.

“The serious impact on children who have been groomed online is poorly recognised resulting in such cases being seen as a lesser priority than contact abuse and, consequently, the threshold before professional intervention takes place is far too high," she said.

“In addition, the majority of the children’s professional workforce lacks the knowledge base required to positively intervene when managing cases of children who are abused online.”

Mrs Palmer was invited to attend Prime Minster David Cameron’s #WePROTECT children online global summit in London last December, when he pledged £50m over five years for the Global Child Protection Fund and an extra £10m for the National Crime Agency.

She added: “Recent funding increases to the policing is welcome but without further financial resources for those services that are charged with protecting children and helping them with their recovery, children are not going to receive the help required to assist them and their families in their recovery.

“The MCF’s vision is to ensure that all children who suffer abuse via the internet and mobile technology are able to recover and live safe and fulfilling lives.

“Through independent research we commissioned last year, we know that the professionals themselves feel under equipped and would welcome more training.”

“Children are not protected when offenders are simply cautioned or released on bail, when further offences are not investigated, and when there are delays in the analysis of media devices.

“This is why we need a UK cross-departmental government taskforce to address the online abuse of children and refocus current thinking to put children and their families at the centre of efforts to tackle this growing problem.”