Harmful Sexual Behaviour

Harmful sexual behaviour is defined as 'Sexual behaviours expressed by children and young people under the age of 18 years old that are developmentally inappropriate, may be harmful towards self or others, or be abusive towards another child, young person or adult' (Hackett 2014 Children and Young People with Harmful Sexual Behaviours). 

There are many aspects to consider when working with Harmful Sexual Behaviour. For a brief overview of the definitions and issues related to it, please see A continuum of children and young people's sexual behaviours Hackett, S (2010).

The current definition of Sexual Abuse in Working Together to Safeguard Children is also relevant as it recognises that abuse can be perpetrated by children as well as adults.

It is important to consider risk carefully as many assumptions can be made. The NSPCC Harmful Sexual Behaviour Framework highlights the importance of a multi-agency response. Including joint assessment of the needs of the child and interventions to manage or reduce the behaviour of concern.

• The recent National Analysis of Police-Recorded Child Sexual Abuse and Exploitation Crimes Report, that child-on-child abuse made up just over half of all child sexual abuse and exploitation offences recorded;
• History of abuse, especially sexual abuse, can contribute to a child displaying harmful sexual behaviour;
• All children, including the instigator of the behaviour, need to be viewed as victims;
• Children have greater access to information about sex through technology and this is thought to be having impact on their attitudes to sex and sexual behaviour;
• Children with harmful sexual behaviours who receive adequate treatment are less likely to go on to commit abuse as an adult compared to children who receive no support;
• Incidents of harmful sexual behaviour should be dealt with under the specific child protection procedures which recognise the child protection and potentially criminal element to the behaviour. There should be a coordinated approach between the agencies;
• The needs of the children and young people should be considered separately from the needs of their victims;
• An assessment should recognise that areas of unmet developmental needs, attachment problems, special educational needs and disabilities may all be relevant in understanding the onset and development of abusive behaviour;
• The family context is also relevant in understanding behaviour and assessing risk.

There are no indicators in personal or family functioning that are clearly linked to harmful sexual behaviour by children although the following characteristics have been found in the background of some young people who engage in harmful sexual behaviour:

• Attachment disorders - poor nurturing and parental guidance;
• Domestic abuse;
• Previous experience of sexual harm - a younger age at the onset of the abuse is more likely to lead to problematic sexualised behaviour;
• Social rejection and loneliness;
• Poor empathy skills.

Many of these factors exist alongside typical family environments where other forms of abuse are present.

There is a significant minority of young people who display this behaviour who have a level of learning need - up to 40% in some studies. Their needs must be carefully assessed. Also, the intervention may need to be extended and involve a high degree of coordination between agencies.

The link between on-line behaviour and harmful sexual behaviour may also be a cause for concern. Technology-assisted harmful sexual behaviour (TA-HSB) can range from developmentally inappropriate use of pornography (and exposing other children to this), through grooming and sexual harassment. On-line behaviour may be a trigger for sexual abuse and emerging research suggests that the long-term effect of exposure to pornography can affect the ability to build healthy sexual relationships (see NSPCC Research and Resources for further information).

It can be useful to think of sexual behaviour as a range or continuum from those behaviours that are developmentally and socially accepted to those that are violently abusive (see Children and Young People with Harmful Sexual Behaviours).

Most healthy sexual behaviour can be characterised by:

• Mutuality (Children of a similar developmental and chronological age);
• Absence of coercion in any form (bullying, emotional blackmail, fear of the consequences);
• Absence of emotional distress.

Additionally, sexual behaviour which seems compulsive, is repeated in secrecy and continues after interventions from parents or carers, is a cause for concern.

See Further Information for a range of resources and organisations that will support professionals to identify sexual behaviours from inappropriate to problematic to abusive and respond appropriately.

Incidents of harmful sexual behaviour come to light, either through discovery or disclosure, which may be third-party or second-hand information. The details provided should be accurately recorded by the person receiving the initial account. It is essential that all people harmed are reassured that their disclosure will be taken seriously, and they will be safeguarded.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (DfE) reflects that all staff working with children are advised to maintain an attitude of 'it could happen here' and that it can occur between two children of any age and sex, from primary through to secondary stage and into colleges. A friend may make a report or a member of school or college staff may overhear a conversation that suggests a child has been harmed or a child's own behaviour might indicate that something is wrong and these should be acted upon.

Where the disclosure is to a professional, a designated safeguarding lead should undertake and record an initial risk assessment and consider three factors:

• The person harmed, especially their protection and support;
• The person who is alleged to have been harmful; and
• The risk to any other children (and, if appropriate, adults).

Concerns about the behaviour and the welfare and safety of the child/ren should be discussed with Children's Social Care which may require a referral and further assessment (see Referrals Procedure).

Children's Social Care will undertake an assessment and there will be an interagency strategy meeting if the concerns are that a child has suffered, or a child or children is likely to suffer, significant harm.

The Strategy Discussion/Meeting is a forum for analysing risk, sharing background information on the young people and planning further action. In addition to police and children's' social care, schools, Youth Justice services or any other agency with significant contact to any of the young people should also be invited to the meeting where appropriate.

The strategy meeting should consider:

• Issues of child and public protection, including a clear understanding and description of any alleged incident;
• An assessment of the child/young person's needs, and the need for further specialist assessment;
• The roles and responsibilities of child welfare and criminal justice agencies;
• Any on-going safety issues for all of the young people involved.

The context of the behaviour and background of the young people and their family are important factors in determining next steps. Where there is no requirement to hold a formal strategy meeting, it is still good and useful practice to hold a multi-agency planning meeting to consider the needs of the children or young people involved.

Strategy meetings will make contingency plans for future actions following further assessment and investigation of the incident. The option of reconvening the strategy meeting post the investigation may be useful in some cases.

Specialist opinion may be required to inform the assessment from those providing specialist treatment services for young people who sexually harm others.

Where there are concerns that the alleged person who has been harmful to others is also  likely to have been harmed, consideration should be given to convening a Child Protection Conference if the young person is deemed to have suffered, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.  

Where a child protection conference is convened the multi-agency meeting could be incorporated into it in order to avoid repeat meetings. The child protection conference will therefore need to address the needs of the child/young person both as potentially being harmful and being harmed, and this should be made clear at the outset.

In cases where the threshold is met, a meeting should be convened under the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements to consider public protection matters and safety.

Following the investigation, if the decision is made to engage the young person in further work, it is important that these discussions take place as soon after the investigation as possible. Successful engagement of families significantly diminishes if there is a time delay in arranging specialist intervention.

Note: Schools should follow the statutory guidance: Keeping Children Safe in Education which came into force on 3rd September 2018.

See also: Addressing Child-on-Child Abuse: a Resource for Schools and Colleges (Farrer and Co.). This is intended to be used as a resource and reference document for practitioners - to consult as and when required and to the extent needed, and to help them navigate whichever area(s) of child-on-child abuse they are dealing with.

Young people may be in denial about having a problem with their sexual behaviour and this may be supported by parents who do not want to confront reality of their child behaving in this way. There is often no legal requirement for the child or family to accept help and it may be easier to ignore the problem than confront it. This is a common response to this issue, practitioners will need to be familiar with the proposed intervention if they are to encourage anyone to accept it. The offer of further work may be helpfully framed as an opportunity to understand how the young person came to be in a position where they behaved in a way considered to be harmful.

Support of parents and carers is extremely helpful in promoting engagements and successful outcomes. Parents need to be informed about the intervention to the extent that they are aware that sexually explicit conversations will take place, also they may be asked to speak to their child about sexual issues. They may also be asked to model appropriate and respectful sexual attitudes and language.

Evidence suggests that young people 'take on' and internalise labels, and therefore to describe a young person only as a 'sex offender' or 'young abuser' may impact on their motivation and responsiveness in both assessment and treatment, leaving them feeling they cannot change. As noted in the definitions section, these terms should be avoided.

Keeping Children Safe in Education Part Five: Child on Child Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment

Safeguarding Children as Victims and Witnesses (Crown Prosecution Service)

Pre-Trial Therapy (inc Annex A: Specific Considerations for Children) (Crown Prosecution Service)

Useful Websites

Key messages from research on children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviour

Harmful Sexual Behaviour Framework: An Evidence-informed Operational Framework for Children and Young People Displaying Harmful Sexual Behaviours (Research in Practice)

Children and Young People Presenting with Harmful Sexual Behaviours: a Toolkit for Professionals (The Children’s Society)

Children and Young People who Engage in Technology-assisted Harmful Sexual Behaviour (NSPCC)

Addressing Child-on-child Abuse: a Resource for Schools and Colleges (Farrer and Co.)

Harmful Sexual Behaviour - NSPCC research and resources

Beyond Referrals: Harmful Sexual Behaviour - School Self-Assessment Toolkit & Guidance.

Tackling Child Exploitation Resources on Harmful Sexual Behaviour (Contextual Safeguarding Network)

Helping education settings identify and respond to concerns (CSA Centre) - when they have concerns of child sexual abuse or behaviour.

Child Protection Resources from Stop It Now - includes a range of publications on preventing abuse among children & young people including online.

Brook Traffic Light Tool Training - Please note: The Traffic Light Tool and training has undergone extensive review and development in 2020. Brook no longer supports previous versions of the Tool.