Treated sex offenders as “paraprofessional” co-workers in the treatment of the sex offender

Abstract

This paper will briefly review the utilization of the paraprofessional in a community-based sex offender treatment programme in Merseyside, UK. The paraprofessionals are treated paedophiles in the role of treatment co-facilitators. Further thoughts on the role dynamic, training issues and supervision are discussed. This is an example of service-user involvement in practice.

Keywords:

• Creative practice
• sex offender treatment
• paraprofessional
• paedophiles

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the comments made by delegates attending this presentation at the NOTA South Wales Conference in September 2001.