While the behaviour of some pre-adolescent children may be ‘problematic’, it is rare that these behaviours are intentionally abusive. Their behaviour may be a way of communicating what has happened to them or an indirect response to other factors in their lives, including other forms of abuse and neglect.
Concern:
- Touching the genitals of other children or adults
- Touching own Genitals
- Understanding ‘private’ body parts & Safe Touch
(many of these resources can also be used to teach children about child sexual abuse & understanding personal boundaries)
NSPCC Talk PANTS help children understand that their body belongs to them, and they should tell a safe adult they trust if anything makes them feel upset or worried:
The Early Years PANTS resources for 3–4 and 4-5 year-olds
Good touch, Bad touch Kindergarten Lesson 2
My First Safety Book – activity book designed for children aged 4-7 to foster safety awareness and skills. Includes Naming body parts
My Body is My Body – Child Abuse Prevention Programme - Musical animated program approach to discussing child abuse. The program includes six sing-along songs, each with a different theme, such as recognising when something does not feel right and saying no to secrets. The program also comes with song tutorial booklets and a children’s workbook to help reinforce the messages.
My Body Belongs to Me – A Child Personal Safety Education Tool Kit For 3-5 years to 10-11 years olds
I Can Say ‘No’: Don’t Touch My Body Nursery Rhymes by BabyBus – (Youtube Link)
Body Boundaries Make Me Stronger - Bedtime Stories Video by Elizabeth Cole explores Body Safety, Private Parts & Consent – (Youtube Link)
Boss of My Body – activity book which reinforces key messages such as ‘My body is mine’ and ‘My body belongs to me’ and addresses topics like safe and unsafe touches, private parts, and the importance of recognising and reporting sexual abuse.
Me, Myself & My Body Activity Pack Learn about Personal Safety & body autonomy.
Daniel Morcombe Foundation Keeping Kids Safe Resources’:
- 2022 Early Years For children aged 4 to 7, focus on boundaries and body parts, using age-appropriate, evidence based personal safety education strategies.
- 2023 – Early Years and Lower Primary For children aged 4 to 7. focus on the concepts of ‘my body, my choice’, and strategies children can then use when they need to seek, give or deny consent (permission).
Available at: https://danielmorcombe.com.au
Concern:
- Taking clothes off
- Pulling up/down skirt / trousers
- Exposing genitals to others
Resources re: Understanding ‘private’ body parts should also be completed.
Keeping Clothes On story is a tool to help children understand the concept of keeping clothes on:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15TxaCfUJEPlsR2YPNhZ16ZWOq2qGjnWI/view
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O8uaSj2N3b2Ja6Cva_BtVcRsHtWDiTPu/view
Concern:
- Invading other’s personal space
- Following others to the toilets / changing rooms to look at or touch
Resources re: Understanding ‘private’ body parts should also be completed.
Personal Space Invader. Read Aloud kids’ book by Harrison P. Spader Video –www.youtube.com/watch?v=R92BaGCTmvw
Respecting Personal Space (Social Story) by Mr. Belgrave Video for 2- to 5-year-olds –
Free Download: https://freekidsbooks.org/respecting-personal-space/
Audio / Read Along: https://youtu.be/nYKOLH7fpJM?si=CYS-hIo-ZaXdlOs7
Personal Space & Privacy Level Learning Resource for early years by RSHP –
www.rshp.scot/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Personal-Space-and-Privacy-Early-Level.pdf
Concern:
- Using adult sexualised & inappropriate language
Words Are Not For Hurting Story Book –
Free Download: www.socialworkerstoolbox.com/words-are-not-for-hurting-book/
Audio / Read Along: https://youtu.be/Xkyqd3RaB1k?si=4-8VyDpdQlx6KoD_
Concern:
Guidance should also be given to parents about online parental restrictions & supervision.
CEOP Think U Know is a website with information and advice about sexual behaviour. Resources for 4-7 yrs are available here: www.thinkuknow.co.uk/4_7
Little Bird’s Internet Security Adventure Storybook – for pre-schoolers about online safety – https://aa-download.avg.com/filedir/fas/family-safety_little-bird.pdf
Child Net’s Digiduck Stories – A collection of five stories created to help parents and teachers educate children aged 3–7 about online safety, with accompanying teaching activities. www.childnet.com/resources/digiduck-stories/
Smartie the Penguin – A collection of six stories exploring life online and understand how and when to ask for help for 3–7-year-olds. www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin/
These websites have lots of guides and resource on various online safety issues –
Safer internet – www.saferinternet.org
Internet matters have – www.internetmatters.org
Child net – www.childnet.com
Concern:
- Viewing adult or pornographic material online or through other mediums
Resources re: Understanding online risks / safety should also be completed & guidance given to parents about online parental restrictions & supervision.
Smartie the Penguin – A collection of six stories exploring life online and understand how and when to ask for help for 3-7 year olds. www.childnet.com/resources/smartie-the-penguin/
Child Net’s Digiduck Stories – A collection of five stories created to help parents and teachers educate children aged 3–7 about online safety, with accompanying teaching activities. www.childnet.com/resources/digiduck-stories/
Parenting support:
Action for children – guidance for parents/carers re: talking to your child about pornography https://parents.actionforchildren.org.uk/home-family-life/technology/how-to-talk-to-your-child-about-pornography/
Safer internet – www.saferinternet.org
Internet matters have – www.internetmatters.org
Child net – www.childnet.com
Redirect parents / children to safe apps / websites such as:
BBC’s CBeebies Little Learners App – Free games and video activities – www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/watch/cbeebies-learn-app
Teach Your Monster Free games to teach children reading, number skills and adventurous eating – www.teachyourmonster.org/
Cosmic Kids Yoga Free videos for children, turning screen time into physical activity – www.cosmickids.com/watch/
Concern:
- Promoting positive behaviour
- Friendship & kindness
- Exploring feelings
My Feelings Activity Book – designed to help children ages 3-6 identify and express their emotions. –
Free Download: www.socialworkerstoolbox.com/my-feelings-activity-book-for-children-3-6-years-old/
The Bear Cards booklet – designed to help children explore and communicate their feelings effectively – www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/media/glid34n1/the-feelings-bear-cards-and-instructions-for-use.pdf
My Feelings Workbook – designed to help children recognise and explore their emotions – https://hope4hurtingkids.com/resources/My-Feelings-Workbook.pdf
NSPCC’s Look, Sing, Play is a set of resources which encourage interaction between parents and their babies / toddlers. www.nspcc.org.uk/advice-for-families/look-say-sing-play/
session plans available from:
https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/research-resources/leaflets/look-say-sing-play-early-years-resources-parents
The early teen years are the most common time for the onset of harmful sexual behaviour.
Adolescents displaying abusive or violent sexual behaviour are, likely to have low self-esteem, poor social skills and difficulties with anger, depression and peer relationships and are often reluctant to engage with services.
When harmful sexual behaviour involves siblings, it may co-occur with domestic abuse and neglect. Compared with other intra-familial abuse, it may occur more often and over longer periods, and be more likely to involve intrusive and penetrative acts.
Outside of the family unit, sexual harassment and abusive behaviours between adolescents are so common in schools and colleges that some young people may regard them as ‘normal’. More highly abusive and violent sexual behaviour may occur in the context of delinquent groups or gangs, where sexual violence can be coerced as well as normalised.
Higher levels of antisocial behaviour tend to be shown by adolescents who behave in sexually harmful ways towards their peers, compared with those whose harmful sexual behaviour targets younger children.
It is important to remember that most victims of sexual abuse do not go on to abuse others, and that most children and young people who display harmful sexual behaviour do not go on to sexually offend as adults. However, older adolescents who abuse younger children, and those whose sexual behaviours involve violence, are at greater risk of further sexual offending.
Children and young people with learning disabilities are more vulnerable both to being sexually abused and to displaying inappropriate or problematic sexual behaviour. However, it is likely that the high level of adult supervision of children and young people with learning disabilities means that their sexual behaviour is more likely to be observed and problematised.
Some children and young people with learning disabilities may be more likely to display harmful sexual behaviour as they may having less understanding that some sexual behaviours are not acceptable, and fewer opportunities to establish acceptable sexual relationships. They may also receive less sex education; struggle with social skills; and relate more easily to children younger than themselves.
Harmful sexual behaviour tends to be identified at a younger age in girls than in boys, and tends to involve younger victims. It is rare for girls’ abusive sexual behaviour to involve the use of physical force. Girls displaying harmful sexual behaviour are less likely than boys to be charged with an offence, in part because they and their victims tend to be younger – but, like boys who display harmful sexual behaviour, they often have difficulties in school and relatively high levels of learning difficulties.