Growing concerns about harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) experienced and exhibited by children and young people has resulted in a demand for training programs for frontline workers. However, HSB professional development initiatives must contend with various challenges and competing demands.
This study evaluated workshops and webinars as professional development tools to upskill frontline workers on preventing, identifying, and responding to HSB. Particularly, whether these platforms met the needs of the workforce; increased professionals’ perceived knowledge, confidence, competence, and actual knowledge, in what ways; and whether the training was subsequently applied in practice to identify and respond to HSB. Findings indicate there is promising value in workshops and webinars as professional development tools for upskilling a diverse, and geographically dispersed, workforce.
