Course Details

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What can we learn from the behaviour of individuals who may have a sexual interest in children?

Whilst few professionals can ever know the actual thoughts and behaviour of those who commit sexual crimes against children, this training enables practitioners to identify indicators that indicates sexual harm is occurring, has occurred or is being prepared for.

This course explores the psychology of child sex offenders and provides participants with a practical framework for recognising and correctly interpreting offender behaviour. Key learning points arm professionals to engage more effectively with offenders and/or to safeguard children in their care.

Topics covered include:

• Prevalence of child sexual abuse
• Myths and facts about child sexual abuse
• Introduction to behavioural analysis
• Theoretical perspective – the spiral of sexual abuse
  • Motivation to offend
  • Justifications for offending
  • Role of fantasy
  • Grooming and manipulation
  • Abuse and sexual exploitation of children
• Women who sexually abuse children
• Organised groups of sex offenders
• Internet child sexual exploitation-implications for those that safeguard children

What Participants Gain

This course is essential for all those who work with children, have a safeguarding responsibility and want to develop a culture of safety within their organisation. It also provides core knowledge and skills for those who work either directly or indirectly with offenders and their families.

Feedback has shown us that those who work with victims and their families have benefitted hugely from this training; by the end of the course, participants are able to:

• Understand the prevalence of child sexual abuse and the degree to which criminal records reflect a perpetrators pattern of sexual offending
• Recognise the myths and facts about child sexual abuse
• Comprehend the role which behaviour analysis can play in facilitating a better understanding of offender behaviour
• Identify common characteristics of offending behaviour
• Plan for more effective offender interviews & meetings
• Use behaviour analysis tools to create accurate risk assessments
• Understand how offender motivations and justifications create a ‘spiral of abuse’
• Better decide what are the important questions to ask each offender
• Recognise grooming & manipulation more readily
• Understand the key features and issues related to women who sexually offend
• Distinguish the importance of identifying those offenders who travel to facilitate the sexual exploitation of children
• Identify the prevalence and key features of offenders who engage in group based child sexual exploitation
• Comprehend the risk factors related to sex offenders who view/download indecent images of children.

Dr Sullivan is a Registered Forensic Psychologist, holding a PhD in Forensic Psychology, a Masters Degree in Criminology, a Diploma in Psychology, a Degree in applied Social Sciences, and a Certificate of Qualification in Social Work. Dr Sullivan is an honorary lecturer in Forensic Psychology at the University of Birmingham, UK.

Dr Sullivan has worked with police officers, social workers, probation officers, faith groups and educationalists to provide insights into the motivations, thoughts and behaviours of child sex offenders. He undertakes assessments for Social Service Departments, Probation, Churches and Education bodies and is an expert witness in the criminal, civil and family courts.

Dr Sullivan has worked extensively in law enforcement, assisting police forces with investigations into the sexually motivated abduction, murder and assault of children. Dr Sullivan was the Chief Forensic Psychologist in the Behaviour Analysis Unit at CEOP, receiving a Chief Constable's Commendation for his contribution to the investigation of the sexually motivated abduction and murder of a child in 2001.

Dr Sullivan has also undertaken assessment and therapeutic intervention work with women who sexually abuse children and adults accused or suspected of professional sexual misconduct. Part of his work also includes the assessment and treatment of adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

Dr Sullivan has published and presented papers to national and international conferences on the techniques he uses for engaging, assessing and interviewing sexual offenders.

Currently available courses and events can be found here