Sex offenders are ‘children in need’

Child sex offenders should be seen primarily as “children in need”, an academic told the conference.

A “significant minority” of young people with sexually harmful behaviour have learning difficulties, added Simon Hackett, reader in social work at Durham University.

Specialist provision has been developed by the voluntary sector but needs to be taken up by statutory services, said Kevin Gibbs, co-chair of the NSPCC’s sexually harmful behaviour group.

Although more resources are going into supervision, some staff feel “isolated”, he added.