Individual research recommendation details

Recommendation ID

NG55/2

Question

Effective interventions for children and young people displaying harmful sexual behaviour:- What interventions are effective with children and young people displaying harmful sexual behaviour?

Any explanatory notes
(if applicable)

Why this is important:- Most of the evidence on interventions is inconclusive. It comes from small clinical populations of adolescent males convicted of sexual offences. More research is needed on the effectiveness of current interventions and to understand how to avoid children and young people who display sexualised behaviour being taken into the criminal justice system. This includes research on:
- prepubescent children
- young women
- children and young people with neurodevelopmental and learning disabilities
- minority ethnic and migrant communities
- looked after children (including those in non-family based settings).
- children and young people in the criminal justice system (community and custody).
Evidence on interventions for looked-after children needs to include those in non-family based settings and in unstable foster care. For this group, there is also a lack of evidence on interventions to promote placement stability and permanence, as well as on interventions specifically relating to harmful sexual behaviour. The former is needed because a stable home life may help reduce the risk of harmful sexual behaviour.
Evidence of effective interventions could help target resources more effectively and ensure programmes are tailored to meet children and young people's differing needs.

Source guidance details

Comes from guidance

Harmful sexual behaviour among children and young people

Number

NG55

Date issued

September 2016

Other details