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Sexual behaviour definitions

Age and developmentally appropriate  sexual behaviour is within age  and developmental appropriate behaviours, spontaneous, curious, mutual and easily diverted experimentation.

Problematic sexual behaviour is outside age appropriate behaviours in terms of frequency, inequality in age, size, power and/or ability.

Harmful sexual behaviour is harmful, forceful, secretive, compulsive, coercive, threatening and degrading.

Sexual behaviours procedures
If a residential care worker observers or receives a disclosure of sexual behaviours by a child or between children they must establish whether the sexual behaviour is age and developmentally appropriate, problematic or harmful.

If the sexual behaviour is age and developmentally appropriate

• Stop the behaviour (if appropriate), define the behaviour, state the expectation and redirect the child.
• Document the behaviours in case notes.
• Reinforce protective behaviours and age appropriate sexual education and document actions and discussions in case notes.

If the sexual behaviour is problematic

• Stop the behaviour, define the behaviour, state the expectation and redirect the child.

• Support all the children involved.
• Monitor and increase supervision.
• Document in case notes.
• Notify manager, house psychologist, all house staff via email.
• Manager to notify the relevant Assistant Director, case managers and team leaders of all children involved via email.
• Reinforce protective behaviours and age appropriate sexual education and document actions and discussions in case notes.

If the sexual behaviour is harmful

• If immediate response required, call the police.
• Stop the behaviour, define the behaviour, state the expectation and redirect the child.

• Provide immediate protection, reassurance, comfort and encourage self-care plan strategies for all children involved.
• Residential care workers are not to investigate or ask leading questions or conduct a life space interview. They should provide emotional support for all children involved.

• Residential care worker to report by phone as soon as possible to manager (if after hours to on call manager or crisis care).
• Manager or on call manager to report to crisis care.
• Manager to advise staff if police report required (if not already contacted).
• If directed by the police, as appropriate and if required protect evidence, no washing of hands, showering, removing of clothes or washing of clothes.
• Protect site of incident from people traffic.
• Quarantine electronic devices if required.
• Instruct children not to discuss incident with other children.
• Staff and house manager or on call manager/crisis care to develop immediate interim safety plan, include in handover, document in case notes and email to manager, house psychologist and all house staff.
• Complete critical incident Summary. Following confirmation of the appropriateness with House Manager, Critical Incident report to be completed.
• House manager to immediately contact via email, the relevant Assistant Director, case managers and team leaders of all children involved.
• Senior management (Director/ Assistant Directors) to review safety plan and ensure a risk assessment to be completed ASAP to include risk to safety of children remaining in placement together where allegation is child on child.
• Follow procedures as outlined in 2.2 Case Practice Manual.