Assessing child sexual abuse requires the application of knowledge about the dynamics of child sexual abuse, and consideration of risk factors that impact children and young people’s safety.
Understanding these factors increases the capacity of practitioners to appropriately assess safety and risk, and work collaboratively and more confidently with children and their families to address child sexual abuse.
This practice kit is a practical resource to support child protection practitioners to understand, assess and respond to child sexual abuse. There are some key pieces of literature which support this kit and are referred to throughout. This includes two literature reviews which were published by the New South Wales Office of the Senior Practitioner, Department of Family and Community Services—Child sexual abuse What does the research tell us? A literature review (2016) and Child sexual abuse and disclosure What does the research tell us? (2014)— and the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Final Report (2017).
Some of these texts use slightly varied terminology to describe harmful sexual behaviours. Child Safety uses the phrase 'harmful sexual behaviours' throughout this practice kit.
This practice kit focuses on child sexual abuse that is occurring or is suspected of occurring in a home or in a ‘home like’ setting (such as residential or foster care). It also focuses on alleged abusers who are household members. The literature reviews provide more detail on child sexual abuse that is perpetrated by people outside the home.
This practice kit uses case studies that draw on the experiences of different children and are not based on any one child’s story. Be aware of your own reactions to content and seek support from your manager and colleagues if required. If needed, contact the Employee Assistance Program for counselling and support.
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