Puberty, Relationships, Sexuality & Autism, Primary & Post Primary

Course Description

This course is offered by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in conjunction with Middletown Centre for Autism. It will provide participants with information regarding how autism may impact on the experience of puberty, relationships and sexuality for students. In addition, participants will also be provided with strategies to support students during this period of their development.

Anticipated Outcomes

Participants will :

• Gain an understanding as to how autism may impact on an individual’s experience of puberty, relationships and sexuality
• Gain an understanding of the difference between sexual and sexualised behaviours
• Know how to improve relationships between parents, teachers and professionals to create resources for teenagers with autism
• Have an awareness of how values and beliefs may affect delivery of relationship and sexuality education
• Gain an understanding of how to support individuals during instances of sexually inappropriate behaviour (reactive strategies), as well as strategies to assist young people before sexually inappropriate behaviours are displayed (proactive strategies)
• Gain an understanding of how young people with autism may be vulnerable to abuse, particularly when they are online
• Discuss how to develop an autism specific sexuality and relationships education for their organisation.

Course Outline and Content

This course will emphasise that the physical and sexual development of young people with autism tends to be similar to the development of their typically developing peers; nevertheless, young people with autism may lack the social know-how in relation to managing their personal needs. Consequently, young people with autism may be particularly vulnerable to abuse or may display sexually inappropriate behaviours. Participants will be supported to consider the difficulties faced by young people with autism during this developmental stage and will be provided with a range of proactive and reactive strategies to aid young people in developing greater independence in managing their behaviour.

Information for Applicants

The course is open to

• Teachers working in classes for student(s) with Autism in a mainstream setting
• Teachers in special schools who are currently working with student(s) with Autism
• Full-time Special Education Teachers who are currently working with student(s) with Autism
• Participants will require permission from the Board of Management to attend. Typically, substitution for this seminar will only be allowed to classroom teachers with primary responsibility for students with a special educational need and if it is deemed absolutely essential by the Principal
• Typically substitution will only be allocated to non - substitute teachers
• Payment is not available to teachers in a substitute capacity

Refreshments and lunch will be provided.