1-195 Webinar

Understanding Normal Sexual Behaviour and Body Exploration in the Early Years

In this two part webinar series Victoria discusses recognising and responding appropriately as an educator.

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Navigating children’s natural curiosity about their bodies can sometimes feel challenging for educators. Knowing what’s developmentally typical — and how to respond with confidence and sensitivity — is essential for fostering healthy understanding and safeguarding children’s wellbeing.

This two-part series is designed to give early childhood educators the knowledge, tools, and confidence to recognise normal sexual behaviour and body exploration in young children, respond appropriately, and create a safe, supportive environment where children can learn and grow.

Presented By

Victoria Barendsen

Webinar Duration

Approximately 45 minutes per session

Skill Level

Suitable to anyone working with young children in ECE settings

What will you learn?

Session 1: Understanding Normal Sexual Behaviour and Body Exploration in the Early Years
Discover what’s developmentally normal when it comes to sexual behaviour and body curiosity in preschool-aged children. Victoria will guide you through how to distinguish age-appropriate exploration from behaviours that may require further attention or intervention. You’ll leave with a clear framework and practical strategies to manage situations calmly and appropriately within your ECE setting.

Session 2: Supporting Healthy Learning and Responding When Behaviour Becomes Concerning
Building on Session 1, this session explores how to proactively teach children about their bodies, consent, and boundaries through everyday interactions and play. You’ll also gain practical strategies for responding when exploration crosses into concerning behaviour, ensuring children are supported in a safe, respectful way.

Why attend this series:
  • Build confidence in recognising what is normal and what’s not.
  • Gain practical tools to support healthy body awareness and safety.
  • Learn how to respond sensitively and appropriately to challenging situations.
  • Strengthen your role in creating a safe, supportive, and respectful environment.

Join us for this important learning opportunity and walk away with the knowledge and confidence to navigate this complex area of child development with care and professionalism.
Certificate of completion provided for your professional learning records
About the presenter

Victoria Barendsen

Victoria is a registered psychologist and trauma specialist with eight years of experience, including the past five years in private practice. She works closely with families, schools, and early childhood settings to create safe, empowering environments for children.

Drawing on her expertise in child development, trauma-informed care, and body safety education, Victoria equips educators with practical tools to confidently address topics of body autonomy, consent, and healthy development. Her approach blends evidence-based knowledge with real-world application, supporting educators to respond to children’s natural curiosity and exploration with clarity, sensitivity, and professionalism.

Passionate about prevention, Victoria’s work focuses on fostering environments where safety and respect are embedded in everyday routines.

What others said about this webinar:

This was such a clear and concise presenter. Questions were answered directly with examples of the language we can use within our settings.
There are definitely parts I can take back to our team and help to understand what might be happening for some of our tamariki.
— ALICE
I really enjoyed the open transparency, like when Victoria mentioned the judicial system believing children who use anatomically correct language and that it deters offenders. You never know when this may be needed but you just might help a child by simply teaching them the word vulva.
— JORDANA
How to respond to this kind of situation. As I do always say to other that they're just curious about their bodies. But never knew that I was saying the right thing. This made me feel more confident of what I was saying before and I could openly have those conversations with parents and say that what is normal and what is not normal.
— HANNAH

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