{"id":5988,"date":"2022-04-22T16:25:37","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T15:25:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.devon.gov.uk\/supportforschools\/?page_id=5988"},"modified":"2024-11-20T18:18:35","modified_gmt":"2024-11-20T18:18:35","slug":"no-46-harmful-sexual-behaviour","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/safeguarding\/guidance-policy-and-tools-2\/safeguarding-one-minute-guides\/no-46-harmful-sexual-behaviour\/","title":{"rendered":"No.47 Harmful sexual behaviour"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-abed67cc wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#overview-of-harmful-sexual-behaviour-hsb\">Overview of Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#identifying-incidents-of-sexual-behaviour\">Identifying incidents of sexual behaviour<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#assessing-if-the-sexual-behaviour-is-problematic-or-harmful\">Assessing if the sexual behaviour is problematic or harmful<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#supporting-children-who-display-problematic-or-harmful-sexual-behaviours\">Supporting children who display problematic or harmful sexual behaviours<\/a><ul><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#concerning-sexual-behaviour\">Concerning Sexual Behaviour<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#harmful-sexual-behaviour\">Harmful Sexual Behaviour<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#healthy-sexual-behaviour\">Healthy Sexual Behaviour<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#resources\">Resources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\t<div class=\"dcc-documents-cpt-fixed dccdocs-sticky dccdocs-hidden\">\r\n    <div class=\"grid-container\">\r\n        <div class=\"grid-x grid-margin-x\">\r\n            <div class=\"cell medium-12\">\r\n                <a class=\"back-to-top hide-for-print\" href=\"#content\"><svg class=\"app-c-back-to-top__icon\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"13\" height=\"17\" viewBox=\"0 0 13 17\"><path fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M6.5 0L0 6.5 1.4 8l4-4v12.7h2V4l4.3 4L13 6.4z\"><\/path><\/svg> Contents<\/a>\r\n            <\/div>\r\n        <\/div>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n\t<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-abed67cc wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:41.333%\"><div class=\"document-meta-acf-block clearfix \" id=\"block_acf-block-673e27f848394\"><div class=\" dcc-documents-meta\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget dcc-documents-widget-block\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget-box2\"><p class=\"dcc-documents-published\"><span>Published<\/span> <time datetime=\"2022-04-22T16:25:37+00:00\">22\/04\/2022 4:25pm<\/time><\/p><p class=\"dcc-documents-updated\"><span>Last Updated<\/span> <time datetime=\"2024-11-20T18:18:35+00:00\">20\/11\/2024 6:18pm<\/time><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:58.666%\"><div class=\"document-download-acf-block clearfix \" id=\"block_acf-block-673e27f848416\">\r\n\r\n\t\t<div class=\" dcc-documents-downloads hide-for-print\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget dcc-documents-widget-block\"><div class=\"dcc-documents-widget-box2\"><div class=\"content-container\"><div class=\"content-column download-copy\"><h2 class=\"dcc-documents-title\">Document resources<\/strong><\/h2><p class=\"dcc-documents-intro\">These files may not be suitable for users of assistive technology.<\/p><\/div><div class=\"content-column download-button\"><ul class=\"dcc-documents-widget-dropdown dcc-documents-widget-menu\"><li class=\"dcc-documents-widget-is-dropdown\"><button class=\"button secondary dcc-documents-widget-noarrow dcc-documents-widget-button dcc-documents-widget-download-button\" >Download<\/button><ul id=\"\" class=\"dcc-documents-widget-vertical dcc-documents-widget-menu dcc-documents-widget-is-submenu\" data-disable-hover=\"true\" data-click-open=\"true\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/devoncc.sharepoint.com\/:b:\/s\/PublicDocs\/Education\/EWfGefNN_6RAnAGNvwq996QBR0M5-OZTfU_-W3FRtTVjdg?e=kfPzs9\" rel=\"noopener\"><span class=\"dcc-documents-widget-text\"><span>No.47 Harmful sexual behaviour (Document)<\/span><\/span><span class=\"dcc-documents-widget-size\">356KB<\/span><\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overview-of-harmful-sexual-behaviour-hsb\">Overview of Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) is developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour which is displayed by children and young people and which may be harmful or abusive (derived from Hackett, 2014). It may also be referred to as sexually harmful behaviour or sexualised behaviour \u2013 NSPCC 2021<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As an education setting it is important you identify and respond to all sexual behaviours and not just wait until they become harmful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"identifying-incidents-of-sexual-behaviour\">Identifying incidents of sexual behaviour<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You must consider all incidents of sexual behaviour and identify if they are healthy, concerning or harmful. Each type of sexual behaviour may need you to take action. This may include positive reinforcement for healthy sexual behaviour, or support for concerning and harmful sexual behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is vital that all staff understand the importance of recording all incidents of sexual behaviour and peer on peer abuse even if it feels \u2018low level\u2019. You must not use \u2018banter\u2019 as a reason for children using sexually inappropriate language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Do you have a specific category when recording safeguarding concerns to enable the Designated Safeguarding<br>Lead (DSL) to track data on sexual behaviour and respond appropriately?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Can you evidence action taken after multiple incidents of \u2018low level\u2019 inappropriate sexual language or<br>behaviour? Have you undertaken a case audit to reflect on the concerns raised and make an informed decision<br>on escalating the case?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are you confident that all staff have a clear understanding on what problematic and harmful sexual behaviour<br>looks like for children in your education setting? Can you evidence when staff last had training on HSB?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Are staff confident at challenging concerning sexual behaviour immediately? Do they feel skilled enough to be<br>able to challenge calmly and be clear on why the behaviour is concerning?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have you undertaken a School Contextual Safeguarding Audit to identify any vulnerabilities to your education<br>setting? And taken appropriate action to address any identified vulnerabilities?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Have you undertaken student voice exercises to hear from your children their own lived experiences and any<br>concerns they may have?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have robust systems in place to enable children to report concerns to a trusted adult?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do parents \/ carers know how to report concerns appropriately to your education setting?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Do you have a robust and relevant RSE policy which ensures children are regularly taught about healthy sexual<br>behaviours?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"assessing-if-the-sexual-behaviour-is-problematic-or-harmful\">Assessing if the sexual behaviour is problematic or harmful<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is important that you don\u2019t just consider the behaviour in isolation and that you take into account any SEN which may impact on developmental age of a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What is the specific incident that has taken place?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is it an isolated incident or part of a pattern? \u2013 Check Safeguarding Files.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the incident part of a pattern which indicates a culture that needs to be addressed? Maybe in a<br>certain year group?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Who has been impacted by the incident? Who initiated the behaviour and who was impacted (consider<br>bystanders too)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You will need to make a judgment on the level of risk \/ concern that the sexual behaviour may pose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There are a number of professional toolkits which will help you make an informed decision. These toolkits include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>DfE \u2013 Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NSPCC \u2013 Harmful sexual behaviour framework<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>BROOK \u2013 Traffic Light Tool<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"supporting-children-who-display-problematic-or-harmful-sexual-behaviours\">Supporting children who display problematic or harmful sexual behaviours<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most important part in supporting children who are presenting concerning and harmful sexual behaviour is that you do not provide the support in isolation. It is important that the child, parents \/ carers and other professionals are involved in assessing the concerns and putting a robust support plan in place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a child is displaying harmful sexual behaviour a referral to Children\u2019s Social Care and \/ or Police will be required. If a child is displaying concerning sexual behaviour a referral to Children\u2019s Social care may be require or a coordinated approach at Early Help may be more appropriate and beneficial. Concerning Sexual Behaviour may also be termed problematic or inappropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Please reference DfE \u2013 Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges for further advice and guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If an incident of harmful sexual behaviour is disclosed school will play a pivotal role in supporting all children involved. If the instigator of the harmful sexual behaviour attends the same education setting as the children impacted by the harmful sexual behaviour this can often be a complex situation to manage. It is vital that the school take a lead from Police and\/or Children\u2019s Social Services and use <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/sexual-violence-and-sexual-harassment-between-children-in-schools-and-colleges\" rel=\"noopener\">DfE \u2013 Sexual violence and sexual harassment between children in schools and colleges<\/a> in their decision making. Education settings must also ensure that there are robust risk assessments in place which are regularly reviewed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Things for the Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) to consider<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If the incident happened in the education setting what measures have been taken to reduce any associated risks?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If the incident happened in school is the school placement at risk for the instigator of the harmful sexual behaviour \u2013 exclusions\/ managed move?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is the instigator of the harmful sexual behaviour safe when they return to the education placement \u2013 how much does the wider school community know? Will they be targeted by the wider school community?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How much does the local community know? If you are alerted to an incident where the instigator of the harmful sexual behaviour is being harassed or is at risk in the community this may need to be alerted to other agencies.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How is the education setting going to ensure that all children involved in the incident still have appropriate and full access to their education pending any police investigation or social worker enquiry?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"concerning-sexual-behaviour\">Concerning Sexual Behaviour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Behaviour that is a concern, this may be due to the child\u2019s age and the behaviour being developmentally concerning or it may be outside of social norms. If another child is involved there may be concerns regarding consent or there may be concerns regarding power imbalance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"harmful-sexual-behaviour\">Harmful Sexual Behaviour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is behaviour that is abusive or violent. There may be concerns regarding misuse of power, coercion or violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"healthy-sexual-behaviour\">Healthy Sexual Behaviour<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is behaviour that is developmentally typical and expected for a child of that age. It is socially acceptable and if it involves another child it is consensual and has been mutually agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Some of these things to consider can be incredibly complex to manage and difficult if you have the instigator of the harmful sexual behaviour and the children who have been impacted by the harmful sexual behaviour in the same education setting. It is important to work alongside parents\/carers to put measures in place to balance access to education and risks associated with the behaviour displayed. This can also be incredibly challenging if there are disputes over the exact details of the incident which the police are investigating. Education settings must ensure they are referencing key government guidance and legislation as part of their decision making process when managing incidents of harmful sexual behaviour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"resources\">Resources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/csnetwork.org.uk\" rel=\"noopener\">Contextual Safeguarding Network: Beyond Referrals<\/a> \u2013 Schools<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/dcfp.org.uk\" rel=\"noopener\">Devon Safer Me Assessment (ASF)<\/a>: Adolescent Safety Framework (Safer Me) \u2013 Devon Childrens\u2019 and Families Partnership<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NSPCC: <a href=\"https:\/\/learning.nspcc.org.uk\/research-resources\/2019\/harmful-sexual-behaviour-framework\" rel=\"noopener\">Harmful sexual behaviour framework<\/a> | NSPCC Learning<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stopitnow.org.uk\/concerned-about-a-child-or-young-persons-sexual-behaviour\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Stop It Now: Worried about a young person or child\u2019s sexual behaviour<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/amaze.org\/\" rel=\"noopener\">AMAZE \u2013 Age appropriate info on puberty for tweens and their parents<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>NSPCC \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nspcc.org.uk\/keeping-children-safe\/support-for-parents\/pants-underwear-rule\/?gclsrc=aw.ds&amp;gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2OTMlu7s8wIVR-3tCh3RggeHEAAYASAAEgLAL_D_BwE\" rel=\"noopener\">Let\u2019s talk PANTS: Talk PANTS &amp; Join Pantosaurus<\/a> \u2013 The Underwear Rule<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview of Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB) is developmentally inappropriate sexual behaviour which is displayed by children and young people and which [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2436,"featured_media":0,"parent":5639,"menu_order":46,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"longdocument-template.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-5988","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":{"updated":"","dccdocs_documents":[{"title":"No.47 Harmful sexual behaviour","file":"https:\/\/devoncc.sharepoint.com\/:b:\/s\/PublicDocs\/Education\/EWfGefNN_6RAnAGNvwq996QBR0M5-OZTfU_-W3FRtTVjdg?e=kfPzs9","file_size":"","unit_type":"KB","file_type":"Document"}],"section-guidance":"","sections":null},"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-09-02 13:37:51","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5988","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2436"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5988"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5988\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27943,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5988\/revisions\/27943"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/support-schools-settings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5988"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}