Any caregiver who observes any of the behaviors listed below, or any other type of worrisome behavior, should talk to the caseworker. These sexual behaviors may be indications of problems which need immediate attention. The child’s caseworker will assist you in obtaining appropriate treatment for the behavior problems. 

While you are waiting for assessment of the child’s sexual behavior problem, you should provide closer supervision - especially in the bathroom and at night. This child should not be left unsupervised with other younger, smaller, or less mature children until the treatment provider approves doing so. 

Classroom and digital training are both available on this topic. The PRIDE course, Module 4: The Sexual Development of Children, addresses the physical and emotional expectations as youth mature. A new course called Promoting Healthy Sexual Development helps caregivers have discussions with youth in order to prevent or delay pregnancy and reduce the risk of sexually transmitted diseases. The course descriptions and schedules are available on the DCFS Virtual Training Center website at www.DCFSTraining.org or call the DCFS Office of Training at 877-800-3393 during regular business hours.  

• A child’s sexual behavior is different than the behaviors of other children in the same age group. Example: It is not unusual to see a 3-year-old girl rubbing between her legs as she sits on the couch watching television. However, we would not expect this in a 16-year-old girl. 
• A child’s sexual activity appears too advanced for his or her age.  Example: We would not expect to discover a 7-year-old engaged in anal intercourse. This behavior would be of concern to us because we would wonder how a child so young would even have knowledge of this kind of activity. 
• A child continues to engage in sexual activities in public.  In this case, the specific activity of a child may be okay, but it is behavior that should occur only in private. Example: It may not be unusual for a 17-year-old boy to masturbate, but we would not expect him to do it publicly in a shopping mall. 
• Sexual behavior occurs with other children who are not the child’s friends or peers. Children and youth usually choose other children who they know and have an on-going relationship with when they explore or engage in sexual activities. It is unusual for children to engage in sexual activities with strangers or those they do not know well. 
• A child is preoccupied with sex to the exclusion of other activities. If sexual activities seem to be the central part of the child’s life or the child appears to be “driven” to engage in sexual acts, this needs attention.
• A child’s sexual activity causes physical or emotional pain to self or others.  Example: We expect a 6-year-old may masturbate, but it is not usual to do this until he or she bleeds. 
• A child engages in sexual activity with children who are younger, smaller, less mature, or somehow more vulnerable. We expect healthy sexual activity to be among friends or peers of the same age, size, developmental level, etc. If a child is in any position to take advantage of another child for sexual gain, this is a concern. Example: A child who is baby-sitting for another younger child may have power over the younger child because the baby-sitter is “in charge” and the younger child is expected to obey them. 
• A child’s sexual behaviors continue after clear and consistent attempts by an adult to intervene or redirect the child to other activities. If the behavior seems to be out of the child’s control, or if they refuse to change their behavior, this may be a sign of a problem. 
• Expressions of anger frequently accompany a child’s sexual behavior. Children with sexual behavioral problems often learn to use sex to express their anger. Patterns of expressing anger through sex are scary and dangerous and need to be stopped. 
• A child uses tricks, games, promises, threats, or force to get another child to be sexual. Sexually abusive children can be very clever at getting another child to cooperate with them and have sex. They will fool them into going along with them or threaten them if they try to tell anybody.