Children with sexual behavior cannot live with other children
Many children with sexual behavior problems can live with other children. Things to keep in mind:
- Do the caregivers have the capacity to provide supervision and safety?
- Does the child with Problem Sexual Behaviors respond to adult supervision and guidance?
- Who are the other children in the home?
- What are their vulnerabilities, strengths, and wishes
Children with sexual behavior cannot attend school
Most children can attend regular school and participate in school activities without jeopardizing the safety of other students. We will need to evaluate the student’s risky behavior and strengths including:
- The students responsiveness to supervision and adult guidance
- The students impulsive behaviors
- Can the school provide the supervision?
- In some cases, school personnel may need to know information for safety and protection issues.
- When a child successfully stops having problem sexual behaviors for three month restrictions should gradually be lifted.
Children with sexual behaviors need to be in residential treatment
Most children with Problem Sexual Behaviors can be treated while living at home or in the community.
- Residential and inpatient treatment should be reserved for the most severe cases, such as for children with other psychiatric disorders and/or highly aggressive sexual behavior which reoccurs despite appropriate outpatient treatment and close supervision.
Children with sexual behaviors will grow up to be sex offenders
Children who exhibit problem sexual behaviors have very low recidivism rates, particularly with treatment
- There is no clear link between Problem Sexual Behaviors in childhood and illegal sexual behavior in adolescents or adulthood
