Understanding Sexualised Behaviour in Children

Teachers and parents sometimes turn to educational psychologists when they have concerns about the sexual behaviour of children and young people. This paper draws upon developmental psychology to describe ways in which sexual development has been conceptualised. This highlights that sexual development is best seen on a continuum that ranges from the developmentally appropriate to children that molest. From this analysis educational psychologists are encouraged to think about the different professional responses that are most appropriate and to see the importance of being able to move along a graded response from reassurance to concern.