1. Supporting & Preventing Sexualised Behaviour
Joanne Barrie
Community Sexual Health Educator
NHS Forth Valley

2. https://centralsexualhealth

3. Aim of Guidance Act as a reference point for good practice.
To give school staff the confidence, skills and knowledge in supporting children and young people with aspects of sexualised behaviour.
To put the onus on to staff and parents/ carers as main supporters (with additional support as required).
Aim of Guidance

4. Some reported sexualised behaviour.

5. Reported behaviour Masturbating in the classroom.
Use of explicit language.
Asking others if they want to have sex.
Asking/ making other children strip naked.
Touching other children.
Simulating sex with other people/ objects.
Touching staff/ parent/ adult (genitals/ breasts).
Reported behaviour

6. Reported behaviour Meeting people online (sexual conversation).
Pornography (watching).
‘’Stalking’’.
Responses to puberty (cutting penis, plucking body hair, smearing menstrual blood)
Reported behaviour

7. Some reasons for sexually harmful behaviour.

8. Reasons Natural curiosity. ‘I’ll show you mine, you show me yours’’.
Being dared to.
To make friends, to fit in with peers.
Copy-catting.
To get some attention.
Attraction, desire, love.
To get a boyfriend or girlfriend.
Reasons

9. Reasons It feels good..... Boredom. Loneliness. Fear.
No other outlet to express sexuality. No opportunities. No privacy.
No skills or knowledge.
Nobody told me I couldn’t.
Reasons

10. Barriers to supporting children, young people and adults with a learning disability.

11. Barriers No Guidance. Not aware of/ don’t follow Guidance.
Behaviour ignored.
Embarrassment.
Children/ young people/ adults with LD seen as a-sexual.
Overprotection.
Don’t understand what age-appropriate, healthy sexual behaviour is.
Different morals and values.
Not addressed early enough.
Child/ YP/ adult not asked why. Can’t give own account.
No recording of incidents.
Barriers

12. Lack of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education for children & young people with a learning disability.
Lack of boundaries, skills and knowledge.
Trying to simply stop the behaviour without addressing the needs of the child.
Referral to Child Protection seen as means to end. No follow up intervention.
No shared response/ consistent message.
It’s not my job.
Barriers

13. What can we do?

14. Support and Prevention through improved RSHP education for those with a learning disability.
Accountability to ensure RSHP is being taught.
Social skills development, socialisation, independence.
Boundaries. Consent. Privacy.Dignity for all.
Early intervention.
Schools working with parents.
What can we do?

15. What can we do? Co-ordinated response. Responsibility of All.
Planned intervention. Monitoring behaviour and progress.
Putting the child/ yp/ adult at the centre of any approach (GIRFEC)
Providing policy, practice and guidelines (National level?).
Staff training.
Accessible RSHP resources , suitable for children aged 0-18 and adults with a learning disability.
What can we do?

17. Any Questions????