Autism, Relationships and Sexuality Education

Autism, Relationships and Sexuality Education
Effective teaching of issues around sexuality involves close collaboration between schools and parents to ensure messages are clear for the students with autism.
This session will examine the impact of adolescence on young people with autism. Participants will be shown how to incorporate behavioural interventions with visual strategies to help teenagers with autism cope with some of the typical issues of adolescence. The training will provide practical strategies that educational professionals may use to support teenagers with autism. It will also focus on the delivery of relationships and sexuality education for students with autism, including:
• Sense of self and self-determination – for example, saying “yes” and “no” and this being accepted.
• Respect for and understanding of others – for example, understanding emotions and developing a level of empathy.
• Friendships and social contacts, including power in relationships, being assertive, public and private behaviours and using public toilets safely.
• Physiological knowledge.
• Intimate or sexual relationships.

Expected Outcomes
Participants will:
• Understand the impact of adolescence on young people with autism.
• Learn some strategies involving behavioural and visual strategies that will provide supports to adolescents with autism.
• Provide strategies for the delivery of sex and relationships education to students with autism.

Course Overview / Content 
• Adolescence and autism, how does adolescence affect the student with autism?
• How to prepare students for physical changes. 
• Some strategies for developing sex and relationships education.