NIAP marks 21 years of treating 240 adolescents who sexually abuse and protecting the community against abusers

At a conference today organised by NIAP (Northside Inter-Agency Project) on the treatment of adolescents who sexually abuse, delegates heard that the 240 adolescents treated by the agency in the last 21 years represent all socio-economic groups and cultures with all levels of learning ability and intelligence. It was also confirmed that one third of all sexual abuse is perpetrated by those under the age of 18 years, the majority of abuse takes place within the family where  the abuser is knows to the victim and that only 5% of perpetrators are female but there is a persisting tendency for female abuse to be greatly under reported.

NIAP, a Dublin-based inter-agency and multi-disciplinary programme, provides a community-based treatment programme to young people, male and female, between the ages of 13 and 18 years who have sexually abused and to their parents and carers. The main aim of NIAP which is funded through the HSE’s Children and Family Services, is the protection of the community by early intervention with young people who sexually abuse. The majority of abusers continue to live at home with their parents and carers so it is also essential that NIAP continues to work with their primary carers in a holistic way to bring about change.

NIAP represents a unique collaborative arrangement between the HSE, Daughters of Charity, the Probation Service, Temple St Children’s University Hospital and the Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Mater Hospital. Over the 21 years this partnership has been sustained by a shared understanding of the crucial safeguarding need to provide effective interventions to this group of young people and their families. The effectiveness of partnership working to provide these interventions for children and young people with sexually harmful behaviour is essential to prevent further victimisation.

The keynote speaker at the day long NIAP conference is Dr. L.C. Miccio-Fonseca from the Clinic for the Sexualities, San Diego, California, USA.

Conall Tunney, Assistant Psychologist, Temple Street Children’s University Hospital will present NIAP research outlining the changes identified by young people in their functioning and psychological wellbeing who had completed treatment in NIAP.