Report on the views of people with intellectual disabilities on sex and relationships

Change is an organisation in England. It works for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities. It did a research to see what young people with intellectual disabilities think and know about sex and relationships. It presented what it found from this research, in a report. You can find the report here.

Change has launched a report reflecting the views of young people with intellectual disabilities about sex and personal relationships. The report is drawing the picture of sex education for young people with intellectual disabilities.

“Talking about sex and relationships: the views of young people with learning disabilities” is a result of the sexuality project. The project was realised by Change, the UK organisation for the rights of people with intellectual disabilities, in cooperation with the Centre for Disability Studies at the University of Leeds.

Started in 2007 and completed in 2010, the project found out about the views and experiences of young people with intellectual disabilities about sex and relationships. In its 3 years, the realisation of the project was based on interviews with parents of young people with learning disabilities. It also involved conversations with groups of teachers. Above all, people with intellectual disabilities had an active role as researchers in the Sex and Relationships project.

To facilitate the conversation about sex and relationships, a drama group with young people with intellectual disabilities was developed. After working for 2 years, the group performed a play that showed their views and experiences. They performed parts of the play to professionals at conferences and workshops.

The report can be found here.

Change

Change is a UK organisation, which works for the human rights of all people with intellectual disabilities. Change empowers people with intellectual disabilities by actively campaigning for equal rights and inclusion. More precisely, it campaigns about:

• Access to information about health and independent living

• Support for parents with learning disabilities

• Support to get a job with a proper salary

• Dealing with disability hate crime.

More information on the work, aims and activities of Change is provided in the organisation’s website.