NCJ Number
222833
Journal
Child Maltreatment Volume: 13 Issue: 2 Dated: May 2008 Pages: 199-218
Date Published
May 2008
Length
20 pages
Annotation
This report is intended as a guide for professional practices with children aged 12 and younger.
Abstract
The Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) Task Force on Children With Sexual Behavior Problems (SBP) promotes the effective intervention and management practices for individuals who have engaged in abusive sexual behavior. The task force report begins with an introductory section that offers a working definition of children with SBP, reviews existing theory models about the etiology of SBP, and reviews the overlap of SBP with other problems. Research on population subtypes and the relationship of SBP early sexual abuse and other risk factors is reviewed. Next, the report suggests principles for conducting good clinical assessment of children with SBP, including the role and timing of clinical assessment, the need to take a broad ecological assessment perspective, suggested assessment components and tools, and specific assessment issues. The treatment section of the report reviews the treatment outcome research literature. The public policy section of the report articulates an overarching framework for policy decisions about the subset of more serious or victimizing childhood SBP and offers suggestions for specific policy areas, such as registration and identification, mandatory child abuse reporting practices policies about removal of children from their homes, policies about segregated versus general placement settings, policies about information sharing, and policies about interagency collaboration. Specific suggestions about removal of placement decisions are offered, with the intent of valuing the needs and rights of other children in the home or community, as well as the welfare of the child with SBP. References