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Most outcome studies for children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour have focused on sexual recidivism as their primary outcome measure. Relatively little is known about broader life outcomes for children displaying such behaviours, nor about the processes involved with longer-term developmental success or failure. This paper examines long-term life course outcomes for 69 adults in the UK who presented with abusive sexual behaviour as children. Between 10 and 20 years after their childhood sexual behaviour problems, few in the sample had sexually reoffended, but general life course outcomes were much less positive. A range of individual, relational and social/environmental factors appeared to be associated with successful and unsuccessful outcomes. Successful outcomes were associated with stable partner relationships, wider supportive relationships, and educational opportunity and achievement. The findings highlight the importance of broad-based, developmental interventions in assisting those with childhood sexual behaviour problems to live successfully.

Few studies, particularly few qualitative studies, have focused on the family and social contexts of young people with harmful sexual behaviours. This article, therefore, seeks to provide insight into the more detailed, lived experience of this group of young people. The article involved a thematic analysis of 117 cases, identified from nine services that work with children with sexual behaviour problems. While a number of young people were from stable backgrounds, others were from highly disrupted sociological situations characterised by chaotic families, erratic living situations, poor family relationships, unstable parental backgrounds, generalised neglect and abuse, sexual abuse and school/social problems. Many of these young people's lives appear to be characterised by varying degrees of liminality and chaos. Such chaos may not only be traumatic, it may potentially be traumagenic, and contribute to the emergence of sexual behaviour problems in some young people.

There is a lack of exploratory data describing the offences and violent acts of young people with harmful sexual behaviour problems. Such research is necessary to provide realistic insight into the nature of this group and their behaviours; and to help to illustrate and inform practice with them. This study involved a thematic analysis of 111 case files of young men with sexual behaviour problems to analyse their violent actions. Seven violence-related themes were identified in the data. There was evidence that harmful sexual behaviours could sometimes last for considerable amounts of time before services intervened. As well as harmful sexual behaviours, services need to assess whether self-directed and more general forms of violence need to be targeted.

Young people are responsible for a significant number of the sexual offenses that are committed every year. These young people are generally referred to specialist services for treatment. This article explores the health characteristics and service experiences of 117 young people with sexual behavior problems, and the issues that services face when working with them. The study is based on analysis of 117 case files, identified from nine specialist services in the UK. The case files were thematically analyzed. Case files provided information on the following topics: the reasons why the young people were referred to harmful sexual behavior services; the young people's personal characteristics; their medical and mental health problems; the young people's interests and aspirations; their attitudes toward services and interventions; continued problematic sexual incidents in services; progress in services; and post-service experiences. Overall, the findings of the study indicate that these young people have a number of strengths, but often have problems across a range of personal and health domains. A number of them continue to remain sexually and generally violent in services, particularly in residential settings, which has risk management implications for staff.

Agrobacterium rhizogenes (or Rhizobium rhizogenes) is able to transform plant genomes and induce the production of hairy roots. We describe the use of A. rhizogenes in tomato (Solanum spp.) to rapidly assess gene expression and function. Gene expression of reporters is indistinguishable in plants transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens as compared with A. rhizogenes. A root cell type- and tissue-specific promoter resource has been generated for domesticated and wild tomato (Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum pennellii, respectively) using these approaches. Imaging of tomato roots using A. rhizogenes coupled with laser scanning confocal microscopy is facilitated by the use of a membrane-tagged protein fused to a red fluorescent protein marker present in binary vectors. Tomato-optimized isolation of nuclei tagged in specific cell types and translating ribosome affinity purification binary vectors were generated and used to monitor associated messenger RNA abundance or chromatin modification. Finally, transcriptional reporters, translational reporters, and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-associated nuclease9 genome editing demonstrate that SHORT-ROOT and SCARECROW gene function is conserved between Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and tomato.

Data on 117 young sexual abusers were examined to investigate the nature of community responses to young people's abusive behaviour. A wide range of community responses were found, with stigmatisation, social isolation and collateral damage being common. A contagion effect was noted, with community responses extending over time and across contexts. Some young offenders and their families were attacked and forced out of their homes. In some cases, community responses heightened risk factors. The policy and practice implications of the findings are discussed, including the need for caution about the inclusion of children in policies on community notification of sex offenders.

The individual, family and abuse characteristics of 700 children and young people referred to nine UK services over a nine-year period between 1992 and 2000 as a result of their sexually abusive behaviours were examined. The most common age at referral was 15 years, though a third of all referrals related to children aged 13 or under. Thirty-eight per cent of the sample were identified as learning disabled. Surprisingly high rates of sexual and non-sexual victimisation were present in the backgrounds of the children and young people referred. A wide range of abusive behaviours was perpetrated with just over half of the sample having penetrated or having attempted to penetrate another individual. Victims were usually known to the abuser but in 75 per cent of cases were not related. Fifty-one per cent of the sample abused females only, though 49 per cent had at least one male victim. The implications for policy and practice with children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours are discussed. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 'Thirty-eight per cent of the sample were identified as learning disabled' Key Practitioner Messages * Children and young people who sexually abuse others are a diverse group with a complex set of motivations, background experiences and varying types of abusive behaviour. * Children and young people with learning disabilities who sexually abuse comprise a particularly vulnerable group with specific intervention needs. * A one-size-fits-all intervention approach is not appropriate, but child-centred services that focus on both care and control aspects are warranted. 'A one-size-fits-all intervention approach is not appropriate' Language: en

This paper presents findings from a subsample of 24 young females aged 8-16 years who were referred to specialist services in England during the 1990s because of their abusive sexual behaviours. The characteristics, backgrounds and behaviours of the sample are summarized and compared both with the males in the total population studied and with findings from the limited international literature on young female sexual abusers. Key findings include the higher rates of sexual victimization amongst females, their lack of prior criminal convictions, their somewhat younger ages at referral and their fewer victims. A smaller selection of case studies is used to illustrate the range of circumstances and behaviours leading to referral. Follow-up interviews with two female ex service users, who are now in young adulthood, indicate that their childhood sexually abusive behaviour is more a marker of vulnerability than of risk of abusive behaviour in adulthood. Their struggles now as parents, in adult relationships and their ongoing health difficulties are outlined. Language: en

Systems for measuring the quality of publications in peer-reviewed academic journals have achieved importance in the ‘audit culture’ to which academia worldwide has become increasingly subjected. In the United Kingdom this debate has focused on government proposals to give greater emphasis to bibliometrics (counts of journal articles and their citations) as a measurement of research quality, in respect of publications in the emergent Research Excellence Framework (REF) which is set to replace the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE). This approach impacts on social work educators who are the main producers of papers published in peer-reviewed academic journals. It affects their publishing behaviour by pressurising them to publish their work in journals that are regarded as being prestigious, for which ‘high impact factor’ journals as determined by Thomson Reuters—a private commercial information management enterprise with headquarters in the United States—has become a proxy for quality. In this paper the au...

This article presents the findings of a study exploring current levels of consensus among practitioners in the United Kingdom (UK) and the Republic of Ireland (ROI) about good practice in relation to youth who are sexually abusive. A three-stage Delphi procedure was used to survey the views of 78 practitioners, experienced in this field, on a range of matters relating to preferred responses to this population. The exercise indicated high levels of agreement that youth who are sexually abusive should be seen as a group clinically distinct from adult sex offenders and that all of their developmental needs, and their problematic behavior, should be targeted in intervention. A strong level of consensus was found among respondents about the goals and content of ideal practice with this user group, although there was less consensus about the theoretical models that should underpin practice.

This article describes a survey of Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) in England and Wales, conducted during 2002-2003, which explored the extent and nature of YOT responses to adolescents who are exhibiting sexually problematic behaviour. The methodological approach adopted is outlined and then the main findings of the survey are discussed, with reference to relevant literature, reports and governmental publications about adolescent sexual aggression. The findings cover the extent of YOT involvement in this area of work; the characteristics of the young people worked with; policies and procedures; systems for referral, assessment and intervention and issues of concern to the respondents.

This article outlines the findings of a two-year research project1 into policy, practice and service delivery across the UK and Republic of Ireland in respect of children and young people who have sexually abused others. The authors compare the emerging findings from their current research against the key recommendations arising from The Report of the Committee of Enquiry into Children and Young People who Sexually Abuse Other Children (NCH, 1992) which constituted, at that time, the most significant previous attempt to summarise the state of the field in the UK. The findings suggest that the adolescent sexual aggression field has progressed considerably in the decade since the publication of the earlier report, although uncertainties about some aspects of policy and service provision remain. 1This article is based on a keynote presentation given by the authors at the NOTA Annual International Conference 2003, Edinburgh, Scotland

This article, arising out of quantitative and qualitative research studies conducted by the authors, begins with a brief overview of current knowledge about male adolescent sexual abusers and associated policies, procedures and services. A particular concern raised by professionals and welfare agencies, who are struggling to develop appropriate responses to young sexual abusers, concerns the circumstances and problems of young people who are placed in residential accommodation as a result of their sexually abusive behaviour, often where there are also child victims of sexual abuse. The vulnerability of young sexual abusers and the risk they pose to others is considered in the light of the findings of qualitative research by one of the authors into the construction and control of children and their sexualities in residential children's homes. This research suggests that the inadequate ways in which sexual behaviour in children's homes is perceived and managed, serves to compound the problems of both the sexually abusive and non-abusive adolescents placed there. The findings from both authors' research are then theorized within broader conceptual frameworks about the nature of childhood, childhood sexuality and institutionalization and its links with peer sexual abuse.

The problem of young people who sexually abuse others has emerged in the United Kingdom during the 1990s. This article briefly overviews the incidence and characteristics of young sexual abusers, anchors current concerns within broader studies of childhood and childhood sexuality and reflects on the likely impacts of recent policy and legislative changes on the management of young sexual abusers. Suggestions for areas of future research and strategic response are offered by way of conclusion. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In the context of the findings and recommendations of the NCH Committee of Enquiry Report into Children and Young People who Sexually Abuse other Children (1992) a questionnaire survey of practitioners conducted during the autumn and winter of 1995196 is described. 101 professionals from a number of disciplines, drawn from English Area Child Protection Areas (ACPCs) responded to the questionnaire which sought factual information about the respondents and elicited their views on various aspects, including their levels of satisfaction with policies and procedures in their areas, their access to post-qualifying training opportunities and issues of concern to them. The findings of the survey are presented and it is argued that agency responses to sexual abuse by children and young people remain very variable. Whilst acknowledging the existence of political and other constraints on policy and practice developments currently, suggestions and recommendations for change are offered.

The experiences of carers of children and young people with harmful sexual behaviours have been the subject of little research to date. Consequently, and as part of a larger follow-up study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine adoptive or foster-carers who had had such children and young people placed with them during the 1990s. The looked after children were white and male and had come from troubled and often abusive backgrounds. Interviews, which were taped and transcribed, were thematically analysed. Eight themes emerged covering motivations; training and sources of support, information from and relationships with professionals; challenges; commitment and acceptance; managing risk and safety issues; advocacy or fighting the child's corner; the importance of male role models and managing birth contacts. The findings are discussed in relation to the more general literature on fostering and adoption available and the limitations of the current study in terms of, for example, sample size are made clear. Implications for practice include the importance of training and support, the need to recognise the particular role of male carers for this population, and the added value of including carers as respected and valued members of the professional team around the child.

This paper describes the methodological approaches and challenges associated with tracing and contacting former social welfare service users in the course of long-term outcome research. Historical case file data were analysed on 117 ‘hard to reach’ children and young people identified as having behavioural problems, including sexual behavioural problems. Various publicly available internet and social network resources were used to try and trace these individuals in adulthood, at least a decade after the identification of their behaviour problems in childhood. Using these approaches, it was possible to locate individuals in 69 per cent of cases. The use of social network sites, such as Facebook, in social research is discussed, together with an appraisal of the practicalities and ethics of such approaches. The implications for social work practice more generally of the emergence of new technologies for tracing and maintaining contact with service users are also discussed.

This article describes the process of planning and running a training course for multi-disciplinary professionals in the wake of a local child death inquiry. The factors which influenced the content and management of the training experience are discussed, in particular the trainers' determination to encourage course participants to develop practice foresight rather than defensive reactions to what had emerged in the inquiry's findings. How the course was received by the practitioners, the work that was accomplished and the impact on the trainers of running a course in such circumstances are then highlighted.

Although there is a developing knowledge base and considerable research into many aspects of child abuse and child protection work, it has only recently been recognized that some children and adolescents sexually abuse other children. This article, which aims to provide an overview of the area for practitioners, explores various issues related to the identification, management and treatment of young sexual abusers and its development into a social problem. Research into official and expert guidance on how to respond to young sexual abusers will be identified together with an initial analysis of how far area child protection committees in England and the London boroughs may be addressing the problem. A key theme highlighted will be the debate about child protection versus youth justice responses in relation to young sexual abusers

Data on 117 British young people who had sexually abused others were examined in order to investigate the nature and impact of family responses on the management of young sexual abusers. Parental responses were varied, ranging from being entirely supportive of the child, through to ambivalence and uncertainty and, at the other end of the continuum, to outright rejection. Parents were more likely to be supportive when their child's victims were extra-familial and condemnatory when the victims were intra-familial. Sibling responses were complex and strongly influenced by whether that sibling was the victim of the young person's abuse or not. Policy and practice implications are discussed.

In this article we offer a review of a 4-week module on Core Values, which took place at the start of a new Diploma of Social Work (DipSW) programme. The experience may be of interest to other programme providers because it tackled an aspect of the DipSW which is innovatory in its emphasis on combining values with competencies; and because of its siting as a full-time and intensive module at the beginning of the programme.

Purpose – In the context of current developments in children ' s services in the UK and increased emphasis on workforce development, the authors describe a survey of successful completers of a Post-qualifying (PQ) Child Care Award Programme, one of 18 such programmes in England that ran between 2001 and 2006/7. The survey ' s aims were twofold: first, to gather the respondents ' overall evaluations of their PQ training and information about their past and current work circumstances; and second, to explore their knowledge and opinions on the latest developments in children ' s services in relation to their own work practices. The findings from the survey are outlined under four themes, which are then discussed in relation to other relevant studies, reviews on the role and tasks of social workers and current developments associated with the Every Child Matters agenda and the integrated workforce. Concerns are raised about whether social work professionalism is being effectively utilised within the current children ' s services arrangements.

This paper outlines the author's views on how training for competence in child protection work should be developed. It is also suggested that the ideas are of relevance for training in most areas of social work practice. In summary it is argued that much greater attention should be paid to teamwork skills and the development of strategies to further multidsciplinary work. The normal emotional reactions of professionals should be addressed and harnessed and, in training, resistances to looking at oneself and one's feelings need to be identified if students are to be engaged in such work. It is also suggested that investigating allegations of abuse is a specialist area of practice which needs to be taught as such. The author expresses some concern about how far the kind of experiential small group and individual training needed to pursue these ideas can be incorporated into CQSW courses, given the resource constraints now placed upon them.

Part I: Context and Systems Issues. Erooga, Masson, Children and Young People with Sexually Harmful or Abusive Behaviours: Underpinning Knowledge, Principles, Approaches and Service Provision. Masson, Policy, Law and Organisational Contexts in the United Kingdom: Ongoing Complexity and Change. Morrison, Henniker, Building a Comprehensive Inter-agency Assessment and Intervention System for Young People Who Sexually Harm: The Aim Project. Carson, Understanding and Managing Sexual Behaviour Problems in School Settings. Part II: Assessment and Planning. Grant, Assessment Issues in Relation to Young People Who Have Sexually Abusive Behaviour. Bankes, Placement Provision and Placement Decisions: Resources and Processes. Epps, Looking After Young People Who Are At-risk for Sexual Abuse Behaviour. Hackett, Towards A Resilience Based Intervention Model for Young People With Harmful Sexual Behaviours. Quayle, Taylor, Young People Who Sexually Abuse: The Role of the New Technologies. Part III: Interventions. Vizard, Usiskin, Individual Psychotherapy for Young Sexual Abusers of Other Children. O'Callaghan, Quayle, Print, Working in Groups with Young Men Who Have Sexually Abused Others. Scott, Telford, Similarities and Differences in Working with Girls and Boys Who Display Sexually Harmful Behaviour: The Journey Continues. Butler, Elliott, Stop and Think: Changing Sexually Aggressive Behaviour in Young Children. Cherry, O'Shea, Therapeutic Work with Families of Young People Who Sexually Abuse. Beckett, Risk Prediction, Decision Making and Evaluation of Adolescent Sexual Abusers. Part IV: Practitioner Issues. Hackett, The Personal and Professional Context to Work with Children and Young People Who Have Sexually Abused. Bankes, The Responsibility Avoidance Syndrome: Unconscious Processes in Practitioners' Therapeutic Work with Children and Young People Who Sexually Abuse.

This article presents the findings of a small scale qualitative study of user perspectives in the adolescent sexual aggression field. Twenty four service users who had received intervention from nine different specialist providers completed a structured questionnaire about their experiences of professional involvement. Both young people who had sexually abused and parents identified the kinds of professional intervention which they found useful, as well as practices that they experienced as unhelpful. Young people and their families alike were found to value supportive interventions which gave them an opportunity to gain insight into the nature of sexual abuse as well to address their own feelings about their problems.

Following a sharp annual rise in the number of referrals received, the Rochdale NSPCC Child Protection Team decided to research its referral and investigative service. Using a questionnaire to collect data, a much fuller picture of the team's work in this area was developed. This enabled the team to feel more in control of a stressful and unpredictable sphere of responsibility. The process of the research is briefly described, an analysis of some of the findings is offered and the team's reactions to the research are discussed. The advantages of having practitioner-researchers are highlighted.

In this article the authors point out that the needs of mothers of children who have been sexually abused are often neglected. The reasons for this are discussed and it is argued that, following the crisis of disclosure, both for the women's emotional survival and growth and so that they can provide appropriate parenting for their children, thereby possibly reducing the long term need to be ‘in care’, these women need the therapeutic opportunity to deal with their feelings about what has happened and to adjust to the major change that has taken place in their lives. Groupwork, when complemented by other treatment opportunities, seems a particularly relevant approach. A detailed discussion of working in such a group is available elsewhere (Hildebrand and Forbes, 1987). However, key issues which underlie the planning and running of a group for mothers of sexually abused children are less clearly documented. In this article, the authors discuss these issues, based on their own experience of running ...

The general lack of take up of family therapy ideas by social work practitioners is described and reasons for this discussed. In particular it is argued that social work students and newly qualified practitioners are often not given enough help to find ways of making the theory useful in practice. The authors believe that it is an important part of the job of a social work educator to facilitate this process of developing theories of practice into practice theory. An approach to teaching family therapy on a CQSW course based on this principle is described, as well as involvement with post qualified social work practitioners.