Expressing sexuality through behaviour is a healthy part of development. Professor Simon Hackett, an expert in the field of sexual behaviour in children and young people (CYP), has said that sexual behaviours sit on a continuum, from healthy, ’normal’ behaviours, through to ‘inappropriate’, through to ‘problematic’, through to ’abusive’, through to ’violent’ (Hackett, 2010). It is important to be aware of which behaviours are part of healthy development and which are a cause for concern. Healthy sexual behaviour will typically occur between CYP of similar age; be on a voluntary basis; be balanced by curiosity about other aspects of life; and may on occasion result in embarrassment but would not usually leave children with deep feelings of anger, shame or anxiety.

Harmful sexual behaviour, or HSB, can be 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” (derived from Hackett, 2014).

HSB may also be referred to as sexually harmful behaviour or sexualised behaviour. The term ‘harmful’ refers to the behaviour and not the person. It is harmful both to the individuals who display it, as well as those it is directed towards (NSPCC website).

HSB can take place online and may involve viewing pornography or sexting (Hollis & Belton, 2017).

There are many reasons why a young person may display HSB. It is common for CYP who display HSB to have experienced trauma. This does not necessarily mean that they have been sexually abused, although this will be the case for some.

We can view all behaviour as a form of communication. In the case of HSB, this may be a communication of an unmet need, be that social, emotional, sensory, or some other need, which the young person may be attempting to have met in an inappropriate, or in some cases harmful, way. Consideration should be given to the potential drivers of the behaviour, not solely the behaviour itself.

Education is a universal service accessed by almost all CYP. Educational settings play a key role in the early identification and prevention of HSB (NSPCC website). School staff are well equipped to contribute significantly to holistic assessments of the young person displaying HSB, given their knowledge of and relationship with them. Within the context of a multi-agency network, school staff can support the message to young people that this behaviour is not OK whilst reminding them that support is available and helping to coordinate such support. Most young people who demonstrate HSB do not go on to become adult offenders, particularly with the right interventions and support (Hackett, Branigan & Holmes, 2019). Successful achievement of educational outcomes can prevent further sexual abusive behaviours and can promote positive life outcomes in CYP who have displayed HSB (Hackett & Masson, 2011).

It is important to be mindful of the terminology we use when referring to those who display HSB. The NSPCC advise avoiding the use of the term ‘perpetrator’ and to instead refer to “children and young people who display HSB”. This is because some of the language we use can be stigmatising.

The following guidance is taken from the Brook Sexual Behaviours Traffic Light Tool (Brook, 2012). Brook define sexual behaviours in the following ways:

For examples of Green, Amber and Red behaviours broken down by age/ stage, please refer to the information on the Brook Website.

It is essential when using this tool practitioners bear in mind that a young person’s chronological age and their developmental stage may not be equivalent.

All CYP have the right to robust relationships and sex education which equips them with the information and skills they need to form healthy and positive sexual relationships; to feel confident about making the right choices; and to keep their traffic lights green. Examples of resources to teach children CYP about safe and healthy relationships can be found on the NSPCC website.

It is important that schools foster a culture of safety, collaboration and respect so that CYP feel able to approach the right people should they have any concerns. CYP need to know that it is OK to speak out; that they will be taken seriously; and that, where needed, the right help and support will be provided swiftly and sensitively. They and their parents/ carers need to be able to easily access help and support when they need it and need to know where they can go to obtain further advice.

Schools need to foster a culture of safeguarding with CYP at the centre. All settings with a responsibility for educating CYP should have clear policies in place and a Designated Safeguarding Lead for Child Protection. Policies should cover HSB specifically. All staff working within such organisations should be made aware of relevant policies and procedures and their responsibilities in relation to these, so that they can act swiftly and appropriately if they observe or hear of CYP engaging in sexualised behaviour, just as they would for any other disclosure that might raise concerns around risk. It is important that staff who have the opportunity to respond early are educated in the identification of normal, problematic and harmful behaviours and know how to respond appropriately.

It can be difficult to determine what is healthy sexual behaviour and what is not, which is why involving your Designated Safeguarding Lead to explore the behaviour further is advised. Specialist services can also support you in understanding the nature and extent of the risk. However, not all sexual behaviour will require a referral to a specialist service. According to Brook, all sexual behaviours require some form of attention and response, but the level of intervention will vary depending upon the type of behaviour:

The NSPCC advise that, once identified, HSB should be viewed within a child protection context and Children’s Services should be contacted to provide assessment and recommendations if more specialist help is required. Please note that where referrals to Children's Services are indicated, the NSPCC advocates separate referrals for all CYP affected (i.e. separate referrals for the person(s) displaying HSB and the person(s) to whom the behaviour is directed), as their needs are different and need to be considered separately. In cases of serious sexual assault, the Department for Education advise that information be passed on to the Police alongside Children's Services.

Statutory government guidance in relation to HSB can be found in the document Keeping Children Safe in Education (Department for Education [DfE], 2019) and in Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment between Children in Schools and Colleges (DfE, 2018). In addition to the statutory guidance, the NSPCC, in collaboration with Professor Hackett, have produced detailed guidance on responding to HSB in CYP (Hackett, Branigan & Holmes, 2019). This should be read alongside the guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE, 2016).

CYP who display HSB are a varied and complex group with diverse needs that cannot be addressed by a ‘one size fits all’ approach. It will, therefore, be important for settings to refer to the guidance provided by the DfE, NICE and the NSPCC when developing their response to CYP who display HSB. General principles of this guidance include:

• pre-planning supported by effective training and policies to facilitate calm, considered and appropriate responses following reports of HSB;

• early identification and accurate data collection throughout the process;

• use of a multi-agency approach between the school, parents/ carers, external agencies and young people;

• consideration of ongoing risk and how to mitigate this, balanced with consideration of all CYP’s entitlement to education and ongoing skill development;

• assessment that considers the wider context, including family, social and developmental factors, and that aims to identify any unmet needs;

• proportionate response to the young person displaying HSB to the level of risk and need they present. Interventions should be evidence-based, holistic, strengths-based, proportionate, resilience-focused, and tiered—it should distinguish CYP whose needs can be met through parental monitoring, from those who need psycho-educative support, and from those who would benefit from more specialist intervention services and placements;

• consideration of support to young people to whom the HSB has been directed; and

• consideration of support for parents/ carers.

Most CYP with inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviour can be managed safely in schools with appropriate levels of support and clear risk management plans (Hackett, Branigan & Holmes, 2019). If you are concerned that a young person may be displaying inappropriate or harmful sexual behaviour, please refer to the prompts below to ensure you are involving the right people and services to assess and manage the risk appropriately:

• Have you considered the sexual behaviour within the context of the young person’s developmental age or stage?

• Have you notified the Designated Safeguarding Lead within your organisation to support you with your thinking?

• If a young person is displaying Green behaviours (according to the Brook tool), this should be viewed as an opportunity to provide positive reinforcement as well as further information and support. Referrals to other services may be appropriate, depending on the individual case.

• If you are unsure of the level of the behaviour or if you feel it is definitely not a green behaviour:

  • It is important to ensure that you have the right support to help you to manage your own feelings and responses to complex situations you may be faced with within your work. Pulling together a team of supporting adults to help assess the potential risks linked to sexual behaviours is an important early step when responding to potential HSB.

  • If it is agreed that a young person is displaying Amber or Red behaviours, has a referral been made to Children’s Services for further advice and support within the context of a multi-agency team?

  • Consider the immediate safety of young people and staff. It is important to be guided by relevant national legislation and guidance; organisational policies, procedures and guidance; human rights; the identified risks or needs of the young person; and the potential or real risks to others.

• Where HSB is indicated, are you using a multi-agency approach to inform a holistic assessment of and support for both the person displaying the HSB and the person to whom the HSB was directed?

• It is essential to follow the procedures relevant to your local area. The Greater Manchester guidance on HSB can be viewed in the Greater Manchester Safeguarding Children Procedures Manual.

• If there is no immediate danger, or you need advice or information, you can telephone the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0161 253 5678 (outside normal office hours 0161 253 6606) or if you are a professional complete the Multi-Agency Referral Form.  If you work or volunteer for an organisation discuss your concern with a manager or designated professional.

• The more information children's social care get at the first point of contact, the more likely it is that appropriate services will be delivered at the earliest opportunity to help children and families.