A SHOCK report has revealed an alarming rise in reports of online abuse of children by children with youngsters as young as eight targeted and teachers left without support and guidance on how to deal with it.

It also found the last year of primary school is when pupils are believed to be most at risk.

A specialist group dedicated to the recovery of children after online sexual abuse released the report after talking to over 300 headteachers across England and Scotland. The Marie Collins Foundation, based at Masham in North Yorkshire, found at least one incident is happening per term in nearly half of the schools involved.

Professor Tink Palmer, chief executive officer of the foundation said: “Given the potentially life changing impact of such abuse on both victim and abuser we are concerned that schools are being left to address these problems in an ad hoc manner.

“We would like to see far more joined up thinking around these issues so schools are confident they are addressing the problems effectively and students are receiving accurate and informed education around online peer on peer abuse.”

They say it includes any form of physical, sexual, emotional and financial abuse between children and within children's relationships as well as sexting, online abuse, coercion and exploitation,

The foundation found problems were being reported most in Year 6 in England, or Primary 7 in Scotland, the year before children move up to secondary school.

Prof Palmer added: “In Scotland, 95 per cent of schools that took part reported an incident of peer on peer abuse, with 23 per cent resulting in formal legal proceedings. In England, 85 per cent reported an incident, with 13 per cent leading to police involvement.

"The fact that the number reported to the police is low in both England and Scotland is a positive thing. We don't want children to be criminalised and it may mean schools feel able to deal with this themselves.

"However, we are concerned about the growth of the problem, the regularity of incidents and the lack of nationally-coordinated formal training and policies around these issues which need careful and informed handling.

"In its worst forms, online sexual abuse can have devastating, even lifelong effects. It's critical that our colleagues in education are equipped with the right skills to deal with it, not just from the point of view of victim recovery but also regarding the implications and support for the abuser and the legal issues.”

The report is being considered at an international conference of experts run by the foundation in London this week.