Children With Sexually Harmful Behaviour
When Children that exhibit sexualised behaviour and sexual aggression professionals often feel anxious over the potential for harm that is inherent in the behaviour and and the potential long term effects of criminalising the young person.
There is no 'typical'young person who exhibits sexually harmful behaviour. The age of criminal responibility is 10 years,but younger children can also display similarly prolematice behaviour. Research also suggests that children and young people with learning disabilities are over-represented within this group.
Facts and Figures:
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Retrospective studies present a broad consensus that between 25-35% of all alleged sexual abuse involves young, mainly adolescent perpetrators. |
Over 9,000 recorded child sex offences were perpetrated by children in 2016 (Barnardo's (2017) |
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The vast majority of children with harmful sexual behaviour have themselves experienced physical, emotional or sexual abuse. (Hackett, S. (2014) "Children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours") |
A minority of victims of child sexual exploitation are also perpetrators.Berelowitz, S. et al (2012. |
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Peer on Peer sexual violence accounts for a significant proportion of CSE and often occurs in Gang Contexts |
Whilst males are responsible for the majority of sexuall offences, research suggests that approximately 10% of victims are molested by women and girls. |
Victim Characteristics: Siblings Extended Family Members Foster and Step Siblings Children in Care Settings Some abuse either boys or girls, while others abuse both groups The age of victims ranges from less than two years to adult
Factors Associated With Long-Term Sexually Abusive Behaviour
There is a general clinical consensus that correlates poorer long term outcomes for children and young people with sexually harmful behaviours. Consistent with other problems that put adolescents at risk of harm, the follwoing adverse childhood experiences may contribute to long term offending:
History of frequent physical abuse
History of childhood neglect
Childhood conduct disorder
In Adoelscence:
Anti social bheaviour
Delinquencey
Vandalism
Aggression
High Impulsivity
Low Social Competence
Risk Factors: Whilst some aspects of sexually harmful behaviour are very similar to adult patterns of abusive behaviour (which are sometimes established in adolescence) care must be taken not to assume a parity with adults in terms of risk factors. James Worling has identified a range of risk factors for sexually abusive behaviour in juveniles:
WELL SUPPORTED RISK FACTORS
Deviant sexual interests
Pro-offending attitudes
Numerous previous sexual offences
Stranger victims
Social isoation
high stress family environment
Problematic relationships with parents / parental rejection
Failure to complete an offence specific treatment program
PROMISING RISK FACTORS
Found to be predictive of adult rather than adolescent male sexual offending
Obsessive sexual interests
Impulsivity
Environment that support oportunities to re-offend
POSSIBLE RISK FACTORS
Speculative and therefore need further research
Selection of male victim
Threats of or use of excessive violence
Use of weapons during sexual offence
Interpersonalaggression
UNLIKELY RISK FACTORS
Should not be used for adolescents because of the lack of empirical support
Denial of sexual offence
Lack of victim empathy
History of non-sexual crimes
Penetrative sexual assaults
Offender's own history of childhood sexual abuse
Assessment Domains:
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OFFENCE |
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHILD |
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FAMILY SITUATION AND CARERS |
THE CHILD'S ENVIRONMENT |
THE AIM INITIAL ASSESSMENT MODEL
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1 |
Watch the video interview /read transcript |
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2 |
Listen to the PACE Interview |
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3 |
Read and collate the available information |
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4. |
Assess what is known /unknown in the 4 assessment domains |
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5 |
Plan interviews with the child,parents /carers |
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6 |
Conduct the interviews |
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7 |
Use a structured professional jusdgement framework to assess concerns, strengths, needs, capacity for change, degree of support required |
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8 |
Multi-disciplinary liaison in planning, intervention and ongoing management |
CASE FORMULATION:
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PREDISPOSING PRECONDITIONS TO SEXUAL OFFENDING |
Static, Dynamic and Acute Dynamic Risk Factors; |
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FACTORS THAT MAINTAIN THE ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR |
Motivation / Criminogenic needs, attitudes that supoort or condone abuse, facilitators of the abuse and access to victim, lack of adult / parental supervision, collusion with abusive behaviours and attitudes, unboundaried environment, lack of sex education |
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FACTORS THAT PROTECT AGAINST ABUSIVE BEHAVIOUR |
Appropriate Supervision, Eduactional help for young person and parents / carers, good engagement with support and therapeutic services, specialist intervention where required,opportunities to express emotions and experience positive nurtuting interactions, development of good communication |
TARGETS FOR INTERVENTION
OFFENDING CYCLE
COGNITIVE DISTORTIONS
SEXUAL HISTORY
SEXUAL ISSUES
FEELINGS
VICTIM EMPATHY
ATTITUDES
RELAPSE PREVENTION
SOCIAL SKILLS