Assessment & Treatment for Youth Who Have Sexually Offended
Assessment Process:
Adolescents ages 12-17 who have engaged in sexually offending behaviour. The behaviour must have occurred after their twelfth birthday. It is not necessary for the youth to have been charged with an offence. However, the incident must have been investigated by Child Welfare or Police or the youth has made a clear admission of responsibility for the incident. For those youths who are before the courts for their offence(s), a plea of guilty must be entered before our assessment/treatment can proceed.
Goals of the assessment:
1. To assist the youth and his/her parents or caregivers to develop a better understanding of:
- How and why the offending behaviour may have occurred.
- What are the risk factors.
- How high is the risk of the behaviour occurring again.
- What steps can be taken to help reduce the risk of reoffending sexually.
2. Develop a treatment plan identifying other needs the youth and/or family many have.
We follow a detailed assessment model, which includes several individual interviews, use of psychometric measures and questionnaires with the youth and parents or guardians. We employ the Estimate of Risk of Adolescent Sexual Offence Recidivism (E.R.A.S.O.R.), a tool used to help assess risk for future sexual offending behaviour.
What the parent/caregiver and adolescent can expect:
The idea of being involved in an assessment, which focuses on sexually offending behaviour often causes worry and uncomfortable feelings both for the adolescent and their parent/caregiver.
Our assessment includes developing an understanding of the youth as an individual, and in the context of their family and community and does not focus only on sexual behaviours.
Parents will be asked about the history of the family and youth, including questions about school, social and sexual development. The youth will be asked questions about sexual history and sexual behaviours and interests, sometime using questionnaires.
At the conclusion of the assessment, the results and report are reviewed with the youth, and then with the parents/caregivers.
Recommendations are usually made for some combination of individual/family/ group or residential treatment, in addition to other suggestions. Typically, youth who have engaged in sexually offending behaviour will require 12 to 18 months of treatment, but this will vary depending on risk on other individual and family needs.
Questions parents and youth often have:
*1. Who will have access to the information we share?
The report we produce can only be shared with outside agencies, including referral sources, upon consent of youth and parents.
2. What happens if the youth shares details of another sexual offence during the assessment?
Our agency is obligated by law to disclose and report suspected incidents of sexual abuse to child welfare or police authorities.
* 3. Youth confidentiality?
Information disclosed by the youth will be shared with parents and caregivers only with the youth's consent.
* Subject to rules and regulations governing limits of confidentiality.
How to be Referred to our Services
You need to be referred by an agency called Contact Hamilton. They will direct you to the best place for help – they may refer you to us, or to another agency for support.
How to be Referred to Our Services