Bridgelea Primary SchoolSexualised Behaviour Outreach Offer
Sexualised Behaviour
The service is offered to Manchester resident children as part of the Bridgelea Outreach offer to enable children who display sexualised behaviours to continue to access education and the community in a safe and controlled way. We provide support to mainstream schools and other agencies with completing Risk Assessments and Planning in a person-centred way and contribute to introducing a package of support from multi-agency partners.
The benefits of introducing a Therapist and Specialist Intervention Practitioners who specialize in children who display harmful sexual behaviour ensures that we are able to provide targeted and personalized interventions and direct support to allow the children to work through their harmful behaviours and consequently understand how to form positive and appropriate relationships with peers and adults.
A number of factors indicate a higher risk that young people with harmful sexual behaviours will go on to commit sexual abuse in adulthood and for this reason, it is preferable that appropriate assessments are carried out on young people to target resources at those most likely to present the highest risk. Cognitive behavioural interventions and relapse prevention work are effective alongside increasing resilience factors and reducing negative factors in a young person’s life.
We have staff who have been trained in AIM Under 12’s, Technology Assistant HSB (TA-HSB) and AIM 3 (over 12's) and we are able to evidence the Assessment, Intervention and Moving On approach to demonstrate a positive impact on changing behaviour and reducing risk.
Outreach Offer
- Initial Consultation to professionals who have concerns about problematic and harmful sexualised behaviours.
- Pattern Mapping (where appropriate) to look at a timeline of life events and sexualised behaviours to provide a written Case Study
- Risk Assessment and Management Planning (where necessary) to support pupils who display problematic and harmful sexualised behavior remain in their education setting in a safe way
- Whole Class PHSE sessions covering a number of emotional trauma topics
- Sexual Behaviour Report for children where threshold for an AIM Assessment is not met but behaviours and framework indicate that the risk is identified within the Problematic range on the sexual behaviour continuum.
- AIM Assessment where behaviour and other framework areas fall within the Abusive and Violent range on the sexual behaviour continuum.
- HSB Training (Full Day or Twilight for staff) to support staff with understanding and managing healthy, problematic and harmful sexualised behaviours.
- Intervention delivery on a 1:1 or whole class basis delivered by a Specialist Intervention Teaching Assistant.
- Therapeutic Intervention (where appropriate) from a qualified Emotional Trauma Therapist with a specific area around problematic and harmful sexualized behaviours
Service Model
Continuum of Need for Sexual Behaviour
| Normal | Inappropriate | Problematic | Abusive/Harmful |
| Signposted or offered advice/consultation via 1 hour session | Analysis and Recommendation report with 12 intervention sessions | Sexual Behaviour Report and up to 20 intervention sessions | Full AIM Assessment, Intervention Programme of Work (30) and Drama Therapy (where appropriate) |
Interventions
Following the assessment process, where the threshold is met for intervention delivery, a programme of specific targeted interventions is identified and delivered to the individual in a child-friendly bespoke way.
The space provided for the delivery of intervention work is of a nurturing nature. Children are encouraged to feel safe and empowered. Sessions are broken down into three parts which enable children to explore their feelings, participate in the session content and then they are offered a reward ending to allow the child time to deescalate and regulate their feelings prior to returning back to their class.
Children who present with sexualised behaviours are likely to possess a range of emotional & behavioural problems which accompany their sexual behaviour.
As it is often the sexual behaviour that causes the highest level of concern amongst professionals/carers then there may be a danger that we intervene in respect of the sexual behaviour to the exclusion of such broader factors in the child's life.
Consequently, the consideration and implementation for intervention of other behaviours is needed to empower wellbeing, to eliminate sexual behaviour and to maintain impact i.e. self-esteem, resilience, loss & trauma, DV, guilt, shame etc.
Training
We have developed a training model to support Manchester schools and other professionals to promote understanding around recognising and responding to sexualised behaviours, provide low-level intervention strategy advice and be available for professionals to consult with around children with problematic behaviours to support them with maintaining access to education within a mainstream setting.
Children and Young People Now Awards 2024
Warmest congratulations to the Bridgelea HSB Outreach Team who have won the 'Highly Commended' award in the Safeguarding category at this year's Children and Young People Now Awards.
The CYP Now Awards showcase innovation and impactful practice and judges were looking for examples of exceptional teamwork and multi-agency working. Entries were assessed by a panel of sector experts and young people with the shortlist announced in late summer. Well done to the Bridgelea Team for their award winning initiative helping to keep children and young people safe from harm.
Congratulations to the wonderful team: Lisa Shaw, Chelsey Gledhill, Emma Neary and Joanne Blezard.
Contact Us
Lisa Shaw
AIM Accredited Practitioner
Social Worker
07712 330424
lisa.shaw@bridgelea.manchester.sch.uk
Enquiry Form
Referral Form
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