Understanding Sexual behaviours in Children and Young People in the UK

背景目前，还没有关于13-18岁儿童和年轻人(CYP)在当代英国背景下的性行为的研究。这意味着，已经存在的评估工具没有得到最近英国经验证据的支持。对16岁以上成年人的性行为的研究(例如，英国国家性态度和生活方式调查研究)表明，这些行为是流动的，并根据其所处的社会背景而变化。目前对13-18岁儿童的性行为实践的认识将有助于对那些有问题和有害的行为进行教育和干预。及时获得性行为的变化，无论是线上还是线下的，对于促进CYP可以获得的支持和服务、增强性健康和福祉以及减少有害和有问题的性行为非常重要。令人心酸的是，CYP中更健康的性行为是英国国内研究最少的，这强烈表明在这一领域需要开展更多的工作，这在King-Hill(2021年)和NICE(2016)目前的研究中得到了呼应。许多研究强调，在这一领域需要更多的知识，这将支持与青年会合作的所有专业人员对性行为进行的评估。这是在英国有害性行为增加的更广泛的社会背景下进行的，目前没有国家战略来解决这一不断升级的问题。国际研究还指出，需要一种以英国为基础的证据支持的评估工具，因为研究表明，性行为在不同的背景下是不同的。目前对性行为的假设主要来自理论知识和社会文化预期，而不是探索实际发生的事情以及如何处理这些行为，以确保CYP中的性幸福得到充分支持。目的和目标本研究旨在确定在英国13-18岁的CYP中，什么构成了明显的性行为范围，以及如何评估这些行为。它将通过进行文献回顾、与CYP和焦点小组一起进行的大规模调查，综合英国(线上和线下)关于性行为的知识来做到这一点。与CYP的研究将由CYP的一个指导小组以参与式的方式进行通知和设计。来自停止它的数据！帮助热线(关注性行为的支持热线)将与此一起分析，以帮助了解CYP中出现的一系列性行为的背景情况。使用这些数据，将确定什么构成正常、有问题和有害的行为，并根据这些发现开发评估工具(这将由Hackett Continuum的概念指导，该概念目前支持CYP中性行为的分类)。然后将与专业人士一起使用Delphi方法来进一步开发和改进评估工具。应用程序和好处开发的工具以及从研究中获得的知识和洞察力都将有助于英国在许多领域对CYP中的性行为的立场。首先，该工具将能够在许多不同的环境中应用，并被广泛的专业人员使用，例如教师、保健专业人员、社会工作者、专家服务和在刑事司法系统工作的人。这将有助于在评估和支持CYP中提出的线上和线下性行为时的联合、多机构工作。该项目还将有助于这一领域的政策工作，让人们深入了解一个鲜为人知的领域，并支持现有的可持续发展教育政策。这些发现也将有助于这一领域的学术知识，因为在英国的背景下，目前还没有这一领域的当代实证研究。

ContextCurrently there is no research into the sexual behaviours of children and young people (CYP) aged 13-18 within a contemporary UK context. This means that assessment tools that are already in existence are not underpinned by recent UK empirical evidence. Studies into the sexual behaviours of adults over 16 (for example The British National Surveys of Sexual Attitudes and Lifestyles studies) indicate that they are fluid and change based upon the social context into which they are embedded. Having a current awareness of sexual behaviour practices in CYP aged 13-18 will support education and intervention into those behaviours that are problematic and harmful. Keeping up-to-date with changes in sexual behaviours, both online and offline, is important in contributing to the support and services that CYP can access, enhancing sexual health and well-being and reducing harmful and problematic sexual behaviours. Poignantly, the more healthy sexual behaviours in CYP are the least researched within the UK, which strongly indicates that more work in this area needs to be carried out and is echoed in current research by King-Hill (2021) and NICE (2016). Many studies highlight the need for more knowledge in this area which will support assessments of sexual behaviours carried out by all professionals who work with CYP. This is embedded in the wider social context of rising harmful sexual behaviours in CYP in the UK with no national strategy currently in existence to address this escalating issue. International studies also point towards the need for an assessment tool that is underpinned by UK based evidence as studies show that sexual practices differ between contexts. Current assumptions on sexual behaviours are mainly derived from theoretical knowledge and socio-cultural expectations rather than exploring what is actually happening and how these behaviours can be approached to ensure that the sexual well-being in CYP is fully supported.Aims and ObjectivesThe study aims to ascertain what constitutes what range of sexual behaviours are evident in CYP aged 13-18 in a UK context and how these can be assessed. It will do this by synthesising knowledge on sexual behaviours in the UK (both online and offline) by carrying out a literature review, a large scale survey with CYP and focus groups. The research with CYP will be informed and designed by a steering group of CYP in a participatory approach. Data from the Stop It Now! Helpline (a support line for concerning sexual behaviours) will be analysed alongside this to aid the contextualisation of a range of sexual behaviours that present in CYP. Using this data what constitutes normal, problematic and harmful behaviour will be ascertained and based upon the findings an assessment tool will then be developed (this will be steered by the concepts of the Hackett Continuum which currently supports categorisation of sexual behaviours in CYP). A Delphi approach will then be used with professionals to further develop and refine the assessment tool.Applications and BenefitsBoth the tool that is developed and the knowledge and insight gained from the research will contribute to the UK position on sexual behaviours in CYP in a number of areas. Firstly, the tool will be able to be applied in a number of differing settings and used by a wide range of professionals such as teachers, healthcare professionals, social workers, specialist services and those who work in the criminal justice system. This will contribute to joined up, multi-agency working when assessing and supporting online and offline sexual behaviours that present in CYP. The project will also contribute to policy work in this area, giving insight to a little known area and support current SRE policies that are in place. The findings will also contribute to academic knowledge in this area as no contemporary empirical research is currently available in this area in a UK context.