ST HELENS Council is set to launch a new strategy to deal with the issue of child sexual exploitation.

In light of high-profile cases nationally, a multi-agency plan is to be put in place to ensure that children in the borough are protected.

At a meeting of the Safer Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel, Alison O’Connor, service manager of the safeguarding unit outlined the new scheme, which will include a new website to be launched to offer support.

A series of events will be hosted on National Child Sex Exploitation Day on March 18 which will focus on involving schools.

“We haven’t identified any significant groups who perpetrate child sexual exploitation in St Helens though we have had individual concerns of children who may go missing,” she said.

“On the day in March we will have a number of events and there will soon be a website.

“It’s at the very early stages but over time it will develop into forums and more information will be available as we go and hopefully there will be lots of information on Twitter.

“We acknowledge there is a long way to go but we understand what we are dealing with.”