Better support call for young sex offenders

7:00pm Thursday 3rd July 2008

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A children's charity is calling for better treatment for young sex offenders after new figures showed that 141 youngsters in the South West were convicted of sexual offences last year.

According to the latest statistics from the youth justice department, 20 offenders came from Dorset, including eight from Bournemouth and Poole. Now the NSPCC is warning that some children who molest others are turning into adult offenders because they are not getting treatment to stop their harmful behaviour.

A quarter of all sexual abuse is committed by children and young people, yet there are inadequate services to address their behaviour.

The charity receives over 1,000 requests for its services each year and waiting lists can be up to several months long.

Staff from the NSPCC's Dorset Sexually Harmful Behaviour team work directly with young people who display worrying tendencies, and with their family or carers.

Last year the team carried out 20 assessments and treated 15 people. They have a short waiting list.

NSPCC spokeswoman Natalie Cronin said: "The sooner you start treating someone who carries out sexual assaults the greater chance you have of stopping the behaviour.

"The majority of children and young people who display sexually harmful behaviour have suffered, or are suffering, abuse of some kind.

"They need advice, support and treatment. We cannot afford to let them fall by the wayside. Without treatment, there is a real danger that children who sexually assault other children will go on to offend in adulthood.

"It is a lottery as to who gets what kind of treatment and it is an issue that needs urgent attention."

The NSPCC is calling on campaigners to lobby their MPs in a bid to push the issue up the political agenda and provide more funding for the training of teachers, doctors and other professionals.

Members of the public can support the campaign at nspcc.org.uk/ campaigns.