HM Inspectorate of Probation has published an evidence review on children displaying harmful sexual behaviour ('HSB') as part of its youth justice evidence base. The review synthesises research on the backgrounds and characteristics of children who display HSB, how to differentiate concerning behaviours from normative development, and what effective responses look like in practice.
Details
HSB is defined as 'sexual behaviours expressed by children and young people under the age of 18 years old that are developmentally inappropriate, may be harmful towards self or others and/or be abusive towards another child, young person or adult'. There are no officially published statistics on prevalence, but 40 per cent of referrals to local authority children's services in 2021/22 where sexual abuse was a concern involved HSB.
Key findings include:
- HSB most commonly involves children known to each other, including family members. Boys disproportionately cause the harm; girls are disproportionately the victims.
- Children displaying HSB frequently have complex underlying needs, including experience of trauma, exposure to domestic violence, parental mental health or substance misuse difficulties, learning difficulties, and social isolation.
- Distinguishing between developmentally normative sexual behaviour and HSB requires practitioners to understand child development, consent, power imbalances, and context. The Hackett (2010) continuum model — ranging from 'normal' to 'violent' — is recommended to help professionals avoid over- or under-reacting.
- Early targeted intervention can reduce escalation, but more research into effective interventions is needed. Responses should be proportionate and sit on a continuum, from education on consent and relationships through to multi-agency public protection arrangements.
- A holistic, child-centred approach is required, addressing the child across family, education, peers, and community systems, with trauma-informed interventions, parental involvement, strength-based approaches, and action to reduce social isolation. Punitive approaches are likely to be counterproductive and may deter disclosure.
- For online HSB, simply restricting device access is not effective and can increase isolation; professionals must assess the full range of online and offline behaviour.
- The majority of children who display HSB do not go on to commit sexual offences in adulthood, although those whose HSB involves violence or the abuse of younger children are at higher risk of further offending.
The Inspectorate's own 2017 thematic inspection found that just over one-third of the sample had been convicted of or identified as involved in HSB, with good use of AIM assessments and the 'Good Lives' model.
Commentary
This evidence review is a valuable resource for youth justice practitioners, but it also highlights significant gaps. The absence of published national data on HSB prevalence makes it difficult to plan services or track progress, and the Inspectorate's call for more research into effective interventions underscores how much remains unknown about what works for this cohort.
The review's emphasis on a trauma-informed, child-centred approach is consistent with the YJB's Child First framework and with the broader safeguarding duties under the Children Act 1989 [[ss. 17, 47]] and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026. Practitioners should treat children displaying HSB as children in need first and foremost — many will themselves have experienced abuse or neglect — and ensure that multi-agency safeguarding responses are coordinated alongside any youth justice intervention.
Of particular practical relevance is the warning against punitive responses and the guidance on online HSB: restricting a child's access to devices without understanding the reasons for their behaviour risks deepening their isolation without addressing the underlying concerns. Practitioners should ensure that assessments address the full picture of a child's online and offline life, and that intervention plans reflect this.
The Hackett continuum model is a useful tool for practitioners who may encounter sexualised behaviour in their caseloads and need to calibrate their response appropriately. It is worth familiarising yourself with this framework and with the NSPCC's Harmful Sexual Behaviour Framework (Hackett, Branigan and Holmes, 2019) to support proportionate decision-making.