ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces a discussion about how infants and children develop their sexuality, and the differences that may occur if the child is neurodivergent. It gives guidelines to determine what appropriate sexual behaviour is between children, and whether a child’s sexual template has been vandalised. It offers a discussion about how children are sexualised, not just by abuse, but by parents and society at large. It makes a distinction between normal, problematic and abusive sexual behaviour of children, and will highlight the assessment and therapeutic processes required to work with young children exhibiting sexually inappropriate behaviour. It will then look at therapeutic work with children and treatment goals, arguing that, for children, it is time to move away from risk and recidivism prevention, as this is so low anyway. More importantly, these children need help at significant times throughout their early lives to give them the help and support to have a positive future. In the case study, the client’s son is expelled from primary school and is sent to CAMHS for assessment of conduct disorder and ADHD when he starts exhibiting inappropriate sexual behaviour toward other children. Is this child also neurodivergent like his father, or is it trauma?
