-AIM Director Update
Since AIM was set up in 2000 it has been driven and led by people who not only saw a vision for working with children, young people and their families who have sexually harmed, but who invested, strengthened and shared that vision to make it a reality. This takes unique leadership and management skills but also a significant personal investment of time, energy, knowledge, and skills.
It began with the incredible Julie Henniker, who shaped the core values of AIM of getting good outcomes for children and young people. When she retired after 18 years in 2018, there was a real sense of loss and anxiety about the change, but Dr Carol Carson, with AIM since the beginning, was identified as someone who had the drive to build on the vision of Julie and the co-founders and to take AIM into its next phase of development.
Carol became Director in 2018 and has steered the organisation through significant change and development whilst remaining true to keeping the young person and their family at the core of all we do. Whilst leading the organisation, Carol has developed the AIM Under 12 Model, AIM Education Guidance and the Autism and HSB Practice Guide. During her leadership AIM resources are now assisting practitioners in New Zealand, Australia, Norway, Estonia, Bulgaria, Spain, Gibraltar, Ireland and across the UK. She has also led the digital transformation of the resources, to enable greater accessibility for practitioners in recognition of the diversity in their case work.
There was therefore a real sense of loss when she shared that she had decided to step down from the Director role. We would like to thank her for all she has achieved and are really glad that she will still be part of AIM, rejoining the Associate team to continue sharing her knowledge through training and leading the digital transformation.
Now in October 2025, we are delighted to welcome our new Director Claire Alldis. Claire has 18 years of experience working with children, young people, families and professionals in Complex Risk and Safeguarding, Harmful Sexual Behaviour, Youth Justice, Child Exploitation, Sexual Abuse and Interpersonal Violence, Education, Emotional Health and Wellbeing and Youth Work. She also has strategic leadership experience in national and regional roles in Local Authority and Charity settings. Claire is brilliantly placed to continue the ethos of AIM and build on the legacies of Julie and Carol, taking AIM forward into its next phase of development, bringing new life, energy, and ideas. We are very much looking forward to working with her.
-Harmful Sexual Behaviour between Siblings
AIM are proud to introduce a brand new course targeted at practitioners working with families where Harmful Sexual Behaviour has occurred between siblings, it has been designed to support families to heal and move on from crisis through a shared narrative.
Click here to check out more details of the course
-AIM Checklists
AIM Checklists help to put sexual behaviours in perspective and to identify those that need short interventions and those which require further assessment. The checklists have been recently updated and reflect concerns around use of technology.
There are four checklists
1.Adolescents
2.Children under 12 years old
3.Adolescents with learning disabilities
4.Children with learning disabilities
For more information CLICK HERE
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-School Abuse
School abuse: ‘Rape culture’ warning as 8,000 incidents of sexual violence and sexual harassment in schools reported by female pupils to the “Everybody’s Invited” website.
The AIM Project recognise the importance of schools and colleges having clear pathways for responding to children and adolescents exhibiting sexual behaviours as referenced in statutory guidance and legislation. Designated safeguarding leads, head teachers and principals are invited to attend our extremely well evaluated one day course on Understanding and Managing Sexual Behaviours in Education Settings, which is supported by practical education resources for assessment and management. This training is based on the AIM Education Guidance (2021) which is underpinned by research and practice. For further details please CLICK HERE
The training course and guidance can be accessed for individual bookings by CLICKING HERE and is also available for group bookings by CLICKING HERE FOR ONLINE