For Young People who have
Sexually Abused
Leah Berry- Clinical Manager
Cass Herring- Cluster Manager
 Only
OOHC Service Provider in Australia
responding to the needs of adolescent
males aged 13-17 years who have
sexually problematic behaviours AND
high & complex needs.
 Funded
by the NSW Department of
Community Services (DoCS) for 6
placements.
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Multiple &/or traumatic
placement breakdowns
Poor impulse control &/or
stress intolerance
Educational difficulties
including inability to
attend mainstream schools
Attachment difficulties
Poor self image
Self harming behaviours
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History of Inappropriate
Sexual Behaviours
Verbal & Physical
Aggression (that may
result in property damage)
Low level criminal
behaviours (eg property
damage, theft etc)
Intellectual Disabilities
(mild-moderate)
Poor communication &
social skills
 Crisis
= Opportunity
 Underlying Theoretical Frameworks:
 Good
Way Model (Ayland & West 2004)
 Sanctuary Model (Abramovitz & Bloom 2003)
 Circle of Courage (Brendtro, Brokenleg & Bockern 2002)
 Positive Peer Culture (Vorrath & Brendtro 1984)
 Offence Specific/ Relapse Prevention (Ayland & West
2004; Cahn 2001)
 Cognitive
Behavioural Therapy
 Psycho-educational Treatment
Parallel process “traumatized people are
frequently misdiagnosed and mistreated
in the …system… Because of their
characteristic difficulties with close
relationships, they are vulnerable to
become re-victimized by caregivers. They
may become engaged in ongoing,
destructive interactions, in which
the…system replicates the behaviour of
the abusive family” (Herman 1992)
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Adolescents who sexually abuse almost
universally have some form of trauma
in their histories ( McMackin et al,
2002).
Neurological Impact – structural and
functional differences (Teicher et al,
2002)
Responding to a young person’s needs
not reacting to their problems.
Understanding Vicarious Trauma of the
staff team.
Percentage Reported at Referral
0.70%
Neglect
62%
85%
54%
Sexual abuse by
adults
Physical abuse by
adults
Sexual absue by
peers
Safety – physical and emotional, sanctuary,
consistency, predictability, honesty,
transparency, reliability, availability, continuity
 Emotion management – tools to assist with
reflection, awareness, labelling of emotion,
negotiation - to promote a more
rational/cognitive style of problem solving
 Loss – empathy and support around the ‘pain’ of
multiple losses (family, home, friends,
community etc)
 Future – generation of hope, belief, competence

 SAFETY
is the fundamental motivational
drive
 Bowlby – safety is the function of
attachment behaviours
 Maslow – safety is the most fundamental
of human needs
 Erickson – trust based on safety and
comfort is the first psychosocial stage of
development
Treatment Milieu- 24 hour roster; primary focus
on “life space” intervention not just individual
counselling.
 Specialist Youth Workers are vital to process
significant issues & behaviours whilst still
relevant to the young person.
 CSOCAS & ANZATSA accredited staff.
 ALL staff are trained in ALL training models to
ensure staff consistency and safety and security
for the young people.
 TCI, RAP, LSCI, Trauma Sensitive YW, Sex Offence
Specific, Adolescent Mental Health, Good Way
training, “in House” Induction

 Demanding
Greatness (not expecting
perfection & not expecting obedience)
 No
Punishment (Natural & Logical
Consequences)
 Reversal
of Responsibility: Young people
are not responsible for creating their
problems but they are responsible for how
they respond to them!

Under the Care of the Minister until 18
Previous Diagnoses:
 Severe Oppositional Defiant Disorder
 Severe Conduct Disorder
 Borderline Intellectual Disorder
 Language Delay/ Disability
 Previous Exposure to:
 Parental Neglect & Alleged Physical Abuse
 Drug & Alcohol Issues
 Alleged Sexual Abuse (from numerous male
adults)

 Entry
into New Pathways due to:
 Alleged Sibling sexual abuse
 Active involvement in a Paedophile ring
 Recruiting a young person for Paedophiles
 Public Masturbation
 Approaching young children and asking them
for sex
 Frottage
 Alleged sexual acts with animals
 Threats
of violence towards staff and other
residents
 Threats of sexual harm towards staff & their
family members
 Inappropriate touching
 Extreme sexualised language and gestures
 Repeated attempts to shock and scare staff
 Self-harming
 Intimidation; Physical aggression & abuse
 Manipulation
 High impulsivity
 Originally
developed for the Well Stop
Program in New Zealand, by Ayland & West
(2006).
 Based on Narrative therapy, positive
psychology, trauma theory and special
education - helping our young people
externalise their behaviours
 The Islands of progress
 The Gang of Three and Wise Men
 Incorporating relapse prevention planning
 When
growth
needs are met;
Youth have
positive outcomes.
 When
growth
needs are
frustrated; Youth
show problems.
 Belonging:
Craig believes that only his Mum
loves him; and that he is not sure where he
fits in with his family.
 Minimising his involvement with paedophiles
and minimising what they did to him.
 Mastery:
Came to New Pathways with a long
list of things that he couldn’t do! (eg unable
to make friends, can’t live with other
people, won’t be able to learn to read or
write etc)
 Independence:
Craig struggles with
recognising that he is capable of making his
own decisions. Craig entered New Pathways
convinced he only had deficits to his
personaility.
 Generosity:
Inappropriate social skills;
wanting to be liked and make friends
however unsure how to do this (often
resorting to bribes or grooming behaviours).
 Highly
structured environment (including a
daily treatment schedule mapping out all
activities and timeframes throughout day)
 Consistent
“SAFE” messages from all staff to
all sexualised & aggressive behaviours (eg
“You’re safe here mate, we’re not going to
hurt you, you don’t have to act/ speak that
way anymore because you’re safe”)
 Strength-based
responses - constantly
reframing to positives
 Within
two months of entering New
Pathways :
 A significant decline in sexualised language
and behaviours was observed.
 Within three months:
 When escalated Craig was able to refrain
from using sexualised language.
 Craig was demonstrating an ability to plan
rather than react impulsively
 Made a commitment to want to change his
sexually abusive behaviours!
Contact details:
Leah Berry:
leahb@youthoffthestreets.com.au
Cass Herring:
cassh@youthoffthestreets.com.au