Understanding what 'Harmful Sexual Behaviour' (HSB) is, and how you can support at home.
As part of our ongoing work to keep children safe, we are always looking for ways to strengthen our approach to how we educate about and respond to Harmful Sexual Behaviour (HSB).
I know this can be a difficult topic to talk about, whether that's talking to your child or to an adult at BHCS. However, we fully believe that having open, honest and informed conversations is one of the most powerful ways we can ensure our young people are keeping themselves safe.
What do we mean by Harmful Sexual Behaviour?
We use the term Harmful Sexual Behaviour to describe behaviour of a sexualised or intimate nature that is:
-
developmentally inappropriate
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may be harmful to the child themselves or others
- or involves coercion, pressure, and imbalance of power or exploitation
When young people act in one of the above ways, we classify that as them having display harmful sexual behaviour.
Children and young adults are naturally curious and will explore different relationships as they grow older, including new friendships, and it's important to note that not all relationships are 'harmful'. When relationships are age/developmentally appropriate, positive and built on mutual respect, then they can be healthy.
However, early indicators or unhealthy or harmful relationships might come in the form of inappropriate or problematic sexual behaviours. This might include (but is not limited to) behaviours where there isn't a targeted victim, but where someone might feel uncomfortable because behaviour isn't developmentally appropriate, not fully consensual, or where there is an imbalance of power.
These behaviour can be one-off mistakes but, if unaddressed, might grow into harmful behaviours, where one person in the relationship is at risk.
It is important to understand that recognising HSB is not about labelling or criminalising children. Instead, it is about recognising when behaviour may indicate a need for support, guidance, or intervention.
Why this is important at Brighton Hill:
Research and experience across schools nationally suggest that children are growing up in a world where online content is more accessible than ever, peer pressure can be magnified through social media, misinformation about relationships and consent is widespread and hard to detect.
As a result, some behaviours we see may reflect confusion, curiosity, or exposure to inappropriate material - there might not be an intent to harm, but harm could still be caused. Therefore, it's important we address any behaviours we do see from our students.
We also know that some students have additional vulnerabilities that meant they might be more likely to experience HSB or be exposed to harmful content on line, such as those who are looked after or open to social care. Therefore, we will always consider the context of the student when considering how best to support and repsond.
Our approach in school
A key part of our approach at BHCS is about prevention, which includes ensure students, staff and parents/carers understand how they can support. We do this through our My World Programme, assemblies, workshops, Deep Learning Days and in many other ways. However, sometimes we do still see signs of Harmful Sexual Behaviour and, when we do, we will always:
- Respond in a proportionate and appropriate way - every situation is carefully assessed to understand:
- the context
- the age and stage of the children involved
- whether any harm has occurred
- Support all children involved - we will ensure that:
- not only are victims are protected and supported, but that:
- children displaying harmful behaviour are guided, educated, and helped to understand boundaries. This can often include sanctions.
- Work with families and external partners – including safeguarding professionals where appropriate. There are a lot of external agencies who we can lean on for more targeted support if needed.
What can you do to support your child at home?
Here are some 'tops tips' on how you can support at home:
1. Keep communication open
- Let your child know they can talk to you about anything—without fear of immediate judgement or punishment.
2. Talk about boundaries and respect
- Help your child understand:
- personal space
- saying and hearing “no”
- that consent matters in all interactions
3. Be curious about their online world
Do you know the following:
- what apps they are using, and what the legal age is to use them?
- who they are talking to?
- what they are seeing online?
You don’t need to be an expert, but just show an interested and be involved in what they're doing online.
4. Challenge harmful myths
Young people are often exposed to misleading ideas about relationships. Reinforce messages about mutual respect, equality and kindness as much as you can.
5. Seek support early
If something doesn’t feel right, it’s always better to talk to us. No concern is too small to share witht eh DSL team at BHCS, and we know early conversations and support can prevent situations from escalating.
Keeping children safe is a shared responsibility between school, home and external agencies, and our approach to HSB needs to be the same.
If you have any concerns, or would like to understand more about Harmful Sexual Behaviours and how your can support, then please contact safeguarding@bhcs.sfet.org.uk.
You can also find more support via the following links:
NSPCC Learning - How to manage incidents of problematic or harmful sexual behaviour