GUIDELINES FOR RESPONDING TO SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR IN CHILDREN NOTE: These guidelines must be interpreted in the context of each situation. For advice contact Student Support Services (Child Protection) T: 9402 6124 Very concerning behaviours 0 to 4 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 13 years 14 to 17 years

• Persistent, secretive, coercive or exploitative • Acts out explicit sexual behaviour, • Obsessive stroking or exposure of own genitals in • Obsessive masturbation (may injure genitals) • Obsessive masturbation (may injure genitals) • Significant age, development and/or power through play, language and interaction public • Bribery, coercion, threats or force of others into • Persistent exposure in public difference with others • Sexually explicit drawings/artwork sexual activities (grooming) • Bribery, coercion, threats or force of others • May cause physical pain to self/others • Persistently strokes their own genitals • Acts out explicit sexual behaviour, e.g. oral sex, • Oral sex and/or penetration with a person of into sexual activities (grooming) Response to the exclusion of normal intercourse different age, developmental ability and/or peer • Preoccupation with sexually violent  Requires immediate action – advise principal. childhood activities and may cause • Uses force, threats, aggression, violence or grouping pornography or child pornography  Follow recording and reporting processes injury to own genitals secrecy to coerce others into sexual activity, • Chronic pornographic interest • Sex under influence of drugs/alcohol (refer to Child Protection policy). • Persistently attempts to touch the including bullying with sexual aggression (e.g. • Possession or deliberately accessing or • Sexual activity in exchange for money, goods,  If a belief is formed that a child is or has been the genitals of others lifting/removing other children’s clothing, distributing child exploitation images of self or accommodation, drugs or alcohol subject of sexual abuse, submit a report to the • Sexual behaviour involving sexually threatening notes, drawings or text others • Sexual contact with others of significant Mandatory Reporting Service. penetration of anus or vagina with messages). • Sexual contact with animals age and/or developmental difference fingers or objects • Sexual behaviour with significantly younger child • Sexual activity in exchange for reward, e.g. • Arranging to meet an online acquaintance DEFINITION OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE • Forces or offers to perform sexual acts on or of lower cognitive ability. money, alcohol, cigarettes without the knowledge of a known peer/adult Sexual abuse, in relation to a child, includes sexual behaviour in • Persistent fear of (or presence of) STI/pregnancy • Sex with an online or unknown acquaintance circumstances where — other children • Entering a sleeping child’s room to touch or (a) the child is the subject of bribery, coercion, a threat, • Drawings/artwork which depict sexual engage in sexual activity. • Arranging a meeting with an online acquaintance • Possesses, accesses or distributes child exploitation or violence; or acts • Persistent sexual activity with animals • Disclosure of sexual abuse exploitation images of self or others (b) the child has less power than another person involved in the • Disclosure of sexual abuse • Knowingly accessing or distributing child • Sexual contact with animals behaviour; or

Very concerning behaviours concerning Very • Persistent fear of (or presence of) (c) there is a significant disparity in the developmental function or exploitation images of self or others maturity of the child and another person involved in the • Disclosure of sexual abuse STI/pregnancy behaviour (Children and Community Services Act 2004) • Disclosure of sexual abuse Concerning behaviours 0 to 4 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 13 years 14 to 17 years • Complaints from other students • Acts out explicit sexual behaviour through • Stroking own genitals in public • Masturbation or exposure in public • Sexual preoccupation which interferes with • Inequality in age/developmental stage play, language, interaction with others • Re-enactment of adult sexual behaviour • Obsessive masturbation, which may include routine functioning

• Concerning frequency and duration of • Knowledge and discussion of sexual • Knowledge and discussion of sexual behaviour genital injury • Behaviour involves sexually aggressive behaviours behaviour too advanced for age too advanced for age • Knowledge and discussion of sexual behaviour themes/obscenities • Does not respond to teacher correction • Preoccupied with adult sexual behaviour • Frequent questions about sexual activity too advanced for age • Sexual behaviour including unprotected sex • Frequency, intensity or intrusiveness increases • Touching or attempting to touch • Persistent nudity and/or exposure of genitals in • Persistent, explicit communication, art or play and frequent changes of sexual partner • Behaviour too advanced for age unfamiliar adult’s breasts, bottom, public places which is sexual or sexually intimidating • Consensual sexual activity in school • Discovery or correction of behaviour results in genitals • Persistently following other children to look at • Makes sexually explicit threats but not enacted • Voyeuristic behaviours fear, panic, shame or guilt • Preoccupied with touching other’s genitals them undress or touch their genitals • Incident of voyeurism, exposure or accessing • Sexually explicit themes in written work or art Response • Uses explicit adult sexual language • Lifting/removing other children’s clothing against sexual images that ceases when corrected work, which are obscene or sexually  Record, monitor, assess and advise principal. • Persistent stroking of own genitals and their will. • Sexual behaviour with younger/older children or intimidating  Develop a behaviour plan. doesn’t respond to redirection or • Photographing other children in their underwear adults • Oral/penetrative sex with a known partner  Consult with the Department of Communities, instruction to stop • Flirtatious sexual behaviour (too advanced for • Engaging in sexual activities with unknown peer, with a significant age/developmental Child Protection and Family Support (CPFS) • Follows others into toilets to watch age) with other children or adults e.g. deep kissing, mutual masturbation difference and/or WA Police Force. If concerned, submit a toileting or touch genitals • Touching genitals of animals and does not • Persistent fear of (or presence of) STI/pregnancy • Persistent fear of (or presence of) report. • Touching genitals of animals and does not respond to direction to stop • Oral sex and/or intercourse with a known STI/pregnancy  If a belief is formed that a child is or has been the respond to redirection or instruction to partner of similar age and developmental ability • Preoccupation with pornography Concerningbehaviours subject of sexual abuse, submit a report to the stop • Persistent public communication about body or • Arranging to meet with an online acquaintance Mandatory Reporting Service (refer to Child • Lifting/removing other children’s clothing sexual development accompanied by a known peer/adult Protection policy). against their will. • Accessing age restricted materials e.g. movies, • Using mobile phone/internet to send or receive games internet with sexually explicit content sexual images of another person with consent Expected behaviours 0 to 4 years 5 to 9 years 10 to 13 years 14 to 17 years • Spontaneous, curious, mutual and responds well • Comfortable being nude • Increasing sense of privacy • Increasing need for privacy • Need for privacy to teacher correction • Unselfconsciously strokes their genitals • Stroking own genitals in private • Masturbation in private • Masturbation in private • Play/activities among equals in terms of age, size • Touching and holding own genitals, • Touching and holding own genitals, especially • Increased curiosity and discussion about adult • Sexually explicit mutual conversations with and developmental stage especially when upset or anxious when upset or anxious sexuality, e.g. reproduction, puberty, gender peers • No coercion, force, exploitation • Curious about body parts and functions • Curious about sexuality, body changes during differences. Boys comparing penis with friends • Use of sexual humour and obscenities • The child is not left feeling angry, ashamed, • Touching or attempting to touch familiar puberty, gender differences, reproduction and • Uses sexually explicit language • Interest/participation in relationship with scared or anxious when corrected children’s genitals during bath or toilet intimate relationships • Seeks information about sex and sexual images on someone of same or other sex Response (if behaviour is inappropriate for setting): times or during play, e.g. show me yours • Curiosity about other children’s genitals involving internet • Sexual activity with a partner of similar  Stop the behaviour – e.g. tell child to stop, and I’ll show you mine, doctors and looking, comparing and/or touching familiar • Interest in or participates in boyfriend/girlfriend age/developmental stage (ability to consent remove child’s hand, separate the children. nurses, mums and dads children relationship, including consensual hugging, kissing must be considered)  Define the behaviour – e.g. “You are poking • Touching or attempting to touch breasts, • Lifting skirts or pulling pants down in context of and hand-holding with known peers • Accesses erotic materials for arousal (e.g. Billy’s private parts and that’s not ok.” bottom, genitals of familiar adults play • Exhibitionism, e.g. flashing/mooning among music, videos, magazine, movies)  Redirect the behaviour – e.g. “Go wash your • Telling ‘dirty jokes’ same age peers within the context of play • use of mobile phones and internet in • Experimenting with sexual language and taboo relationships with peers

Expectedbehaviours hands and help me get the blocks out.”  Document the behaviour. words e.g. names for private parts/ swear words (ref Patricia Ryan, Ph.D., Eastern Michigan University) Sources: http://www.true.org.au/Resources/shop#!?Traffic-Lights-brouchure/p/57318729 https://www.childwise.org.au/page/79/fact-sheets https://www.childsafety.org.au/infosheets.html Age appropriate sexual play and behaviour in children, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory Government Community Care, 5-11: Child Protection, the essential guide for teachers and other professionals, Prof Freda Briggs, 2012 October 2018