What can we learn from behaviour of individuals who may have a sexual interest in children?

Whilst few professionals can ever know the actual thoughts and behaviour of those who commit sexual crimes against children, this training enables practitioners to identify indicators that indicates sexual harm is occurring, has occurred or is being prepared for.

This course explores the psychology of child sex offenders and provides participants with a practical framework for recognising and correctly interpreting offender behaviour. Key learning points arm professionals to engage more effectively with offenders and/or to safeguard children in their care.

Topics covered include:

• Prevalence of child sexual abuse
• Myths and facts about child sexual abuse
• Introduction to behavioural analysis
• Theoretical perspective – the spiral of sexual abuse
  • Motivation to offend
  • Justifications for offending
  • Role of fantasy
  • Grooming and manipulation
  • Abuse and sexual exploitation of children
• Women who sexually abuse children
• Organised groups of sex offenders
• Internet child sexual exploitation-implications for those that safeguard children

This course is essential for all those who work with children, have a safeguarding responsibility and want to develop a culture of safety within their organisation. It also provides core knowledge and skills for those who work either directly or indirectly with offenders and their families.

Feedback has shown us that those who work with victims and their families have benefitted hugely from this training; by the end of the course, participants are able to:

• Understand the prevalence of child sexual abuse and the degree to which criminal records reflect a perpetrators pattern of sexual offending
• Recognise the myths and facts about child sexual abuse
• Comprehend the role which behaviour analysis can play in facilitating a better understanding of offender behaviour
• Identify common characteristics of offending behaviour
• Plan for more effective engagement & rapport in interviews & meetings
• Use behaviour analysis tools to create accurate assessments
• Understand how offender motivations and justifications create a ‘spiral of abuse’
• Better decide what are the important questions to ask each offender • Recognise grooming & manipulation more readily
• Understand the key features and issues related to women who sexually offend
• Distinguish the importance of identifying those offenders who travel to facilitate the sexual exploitation of children
• Identify the prevalence and key features of offenders who engage in group based child sexual exploitation
• Comprehend the risk factors related to sex offenders who view/download indecent images of children.