Autism, Sexuality and Relationships – Advanced Level

This training builds on the first course to enable teachers, tutors and support staff to develop individual programmes to provide individual, personal relationship and sex education programmes to young people within the autism spectrum. Healthy sexuality is an important component of both physical and mental health. When based on mutual respect between consenting partners, sex fosters intimacy, bonding and shared pleasure. All individuals need to learn as a minimum the basics of body parts, how they work and safety. If their autism is severe, the content may need to centre on masturbation and establishing a sexual identity in a solo manner.

Young people are bombarded by a multiplicity of sexual images but which lack both a personal meaning and a context. Most successful sex and relationship education begins before adolescence in middle childhood (DoH 2001). Children are prepared cognitively before physical and emotional changes take place. But what if we are working with adults – how do we support them?

The purpose of this course

• Support participants to teach skills and devise programmes of support in sex and relationships for individuals with ASC.
• Provide a forum for the sharing of experiences and good practice.
• To develop innovative practice through an increased understanding of how autism impacts on sexuality.

The key content

• Sexual inappropriate behaviour, is probably frequent even in “high-functioning” individuals – how do we prevent this?
• Issues of sexual development and how to promote good social understanding and relationships.
• Sexualisation is the imposition of adult sexuality onto children and young people before they are capable of dealing with it, mentally, emotionally or physically. How do we support appropriate knowledge and skills?
• What to teach.
• Strategies to plan an appropriate individualised programme.
• An opportunity to share ideas and best practice and ask questions around the implications of sexuality and relationships for people on the Autism Spectrum.

Expected Outcomes

• Identify how autism impacts on sexual development.
• Identify teaching topics and strategies that will help support individuals with ASC understand themselves better and their sexuality as part of who they are.
• Identify strategies that will support teaching socio-sexual skills.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the range and variation of the Autism Spectrum and to plan an appropriate individualised programme/person-centered plan.

Intended Audience

Support providers, support staff, personal assistants, service professionals, social workers, domiciliary staff, staff in respite care services, teachers and tutors.  The only requirement for participation is that the attendee has taken part 1 Autism Sexuality and Relationships.

Benefits of Attendance

1. This CPD has been developed in response to identified need for training in the Autism Spectrum and will therefore address the training priorities of many staff.
2. By attending this course participants will reflect upon their own contexts, consider their service users and explore possibilities for developing strategies to support adult sexual behaviour.