1. The investigation’s third case study examines the institutional responses to, and barriers to disclosure of, allegations of harmful sexual behaviour between children in the care of the Councils.^[1] The Inquiry has been assisted with these issues by Professor Simon Hackett, Professor of Child Abuse and Neglect at Durham University, an expert on harmful sexual behaviour between children.^[2]

2. In this report, we use the term ‘harmful sexual behaviour’ to refer to sexual abuse between children, whether children of different ages or children of a similar age. This reflects Professor Hackett’s view that this behaviour may be harmful to others but also to the child responsible for that harm, and it is therefore less stigmatising than other terms.^[3]