Ricky Has a Problem

This story - for reading to and by young people - is an early intervention model for use by professionals working with adolescent sex abusers in both welfare and justice settings: principally social workers and youth justice workers. It is aimed at early work within assessment where a non-threatening intervention is required, or where there has been difficulty in engaging a young person. This can often be a problem when most young people rarely discuss sexual matters with their parents, never mind a worker who they do not know. By hearing someone's else's story, the adolescent's own sense of isolation may be lessened, as they may well have experienced similar events and feelings to Ricky. The practitioner may be able to use the story to open discussion on a range of subjects, and thereby help the adolescent to recognise their own cycle of abusing behaviour. This book can also help parents who may be struggling to understand and come to terms with their children's behaviour.