This 6-hour professional development workshop is for anyone working with children or young people. It provides an introduction to recognising and responding to harmful sexual behaviours in children and young people. Participants will acquire the knowledge and skills to promote the sexual safety of children, and address issues related to harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) of children, thereby reducing the occurrence and impacts of child sexual assault to create a safer community.

Participants will be eligible to attend Advanced Keeping Kids Safe training within 12 months of completion.

Topics include:
• SASS overview and referral pathways
• Trauma overview and awareness raising
• Responding to disclosures of sexual harm in a trauma informed manner
• Basic grounding and self-care strategies
• Identifying and understanding problem sexual behaviour (PSB) and sexually abusive behaviour (SAB)
• Responding to PSB and SAB
• Introduction to safety planning
• Myths and misconceptions about children and sexual behaviour

Introductory Keeping Kids Safe Workshop
Learning outcomes:
• Knowledge of supports available, referral pathways and reporting processes
• Improved understanding of the impact of sexual harm
• Knowledge of sociocultural sexual harm risk factors and how to mitigate them
• Ability to apply trauma informed practice principles
• Improved capacity to respond to disclosures of sexual harm and encourage survivors to continue help-seeking behaviour
• Skills on how to advocate for survivor/victims and support those who have experienced sexual harm
• Increased ability to identify and respond to harmful sexual behaviours in young people

Please Note: Harmful Sexual Behaviours: Overview for Educators Workshop is a condensed version of this training, and Keeping Kids Safe - Disability also covers this content through the lens of working with young people with a disability.