Remembering the child amidst the behaviour : harmful sexual behaviour in children and young people

Abstract

This research study was born from a passion of wanting to protect the most vulnerable individuals in society, children who are being abused. Children displaying harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) are both a risk to themselves as well as to others and, with other countries reporting substantial numbers of children posing these risks, this study set out to understand if this was also a reality for children in Malta and what services, if necessary, can best meet these children’s needs. This dissertation explains a qualitative study conducted with 10 professionals. Through the use of semi-structured interviews, I was able to explore the unique experiences of professionals from various disciplines when working with children displaying HSB. I used thematic analysis to analyse the data from which four main themes emerged. The findings confirmed that HSB is frequently encountered in children in Malta and that, in the absence of any specialised services and with limited resources and placements, the needs of these children are often left unmet. Professionals struggle to support these children with minimal solutions available and in some cases with limited understanding of sexuality in children. Varied emotional reactions to HSB were highlighted in the findings resulting in inconsistent service provision to these children, further diversified by the lack of agreed upon guidelines, thresholds for referral, policies and procedures. I conclude this study by making recommendations for practice and policy to enable these children to receive fair and equal treatment, giving them the best chance of a healthy development. As this is the first known study in Malta in relation to HSB in children, recommendations for further research are also highlighted so that service provision is evidence-based and so that, as a nation, Malta can support these children, who are suffering unnecessarily, in the best way possible.