Sex and relationships education for young people and adults with intellectual disabilities and autism

Sex and Relationships Education for Young People and Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism provides practical guidance for professionals working with, and parents or carers of, people with co-occurring autism and intellectual disabilities, on how to deliver and adapt sex and relationships education. People with autism have specific characteristics which can make interpersonal relationships challenging. When this is combined with intellectual disabilities it can make responding to these challenges even more difficult. While positive experiences can enhance quality of life considerably, negative experiences can be life damaging.

The publication provides the resources and guidance needed to provide education tailored to support young people and adults to manage intimate relationships, acknowledging not only the characteristics of both conditions, but also how they interact. Based on the authors’ research study drawing on the extensive experience of practitioners working in this area, as well as the authors’ own clinical and educational expertise, it aims to provide professionals, carers and parents with the knowledge and skills to best prepare for and meet the unique educational needs of this population. Needs might include difficulties with learning, social communication, sensory sensitivities, interpreting subtleties in body language and social cues, and understanding the complex social rules involved in different relationships.

The contents address the adaptations of formal interventions and informal education and discussions about sex and relationships, supplemented by case studies, session plans, online illustrated worksheets and resource lists.