Harmful sexual behaviour by children and young people: Expert Group report

This report sets out proposals from the Expert Group on Preventing Sexual Offending Involving Children and Young People to improve prevention and early intervention in response to harmful sexual behaviour involving children and young people.


Annex I: Interventions for Vulnerable Youth (IVY)

Interventions for Vulnerable Youth (IVY) is a national tertiary service based at the Centre for Youth and Criminal Justice. IVY provides advice on those young people aged 12-18 who present a significant risk of harm to others by any sort of behaviour, including sexual behaviour.

From the 184 young people referred to IVY (displaying a variety of different behaviours, needs and risks), 45% have exhibited some form of sexual harmful behaviour; either contact, non-contact or both.

The young people referred to IVY have been assessed as presenting a risk to others and are some of the most high risk young people in Scotland.

This therefore is not a reflection on the potential issue of HSB across the board, but shows that for the young people who present the highest risk, HSB can be a common feature.

Table: Harmful Sexual Behaviour present in notes of young people referred to IVY

Harmful Sexual Behaviour present in notes of young people referred to IVY

Between September 2013 and January 2019, a total of 115 young people were referred to the IVY Project with documented concerns regarding HSB (56.1% of all IVY Project referrals). From these 115 young people, 89 had documented concerns about contact HSB and 87 young people have documented concerns about non-contact HSB. Within these groups, there are 64 young people who presented with both contact and non-contact HSB.

At least 71% of the children supported by IVY were looked after children, with around 61% having experienced domestic violence.

A high number had had previously undiagnosed learning difficulties.

Referrals have been taken from 31 of the 32 local authority areas and the majority of referrals (73%) were from social work services.

To make a referral to IVY, download a referral and consent form at https://www.kibble.org/services/interventions-for-vulnerable-youth-ivy-project/. For further information or to discuss a potential referral please contact CYCJ on 0141 444 8622 or email ivy-admin@strath.ac.uk.

Contact

Email: Child_Protection@gov.scot

Back to top