Personal and Intimate Relationships

Talking about relationships and particularly sexual relationships on a superficial or humorous level can be very much easier to do than discussing this very complex subject with maturity. The subject can be particularly problematic when it comes to the field of Learning Disabilities; some denying the adult needs of service users, some trivializing them and others acting in a highly oppressive and controlling manner.

In order to truly serve adults with Learning Disabilities, organisations need to have thought through their responsibilities carefully and considered the appropriate support required and how to do so in the most professional way possible. This includes considering issues of vulnerability and Safeguarding.
This two day course aims to equip learners with the background knowledge so as to best support service users in this area in a way that maintains rights, dignity, autonomy and appropriate Safeguarding. The course material will reflect current legislation and principles of good practice.

The course covers the area of ‘Relationships’, part of the Learning Disability Knowledge Set and the course certificate provides details of achieved learning which learners may use in the achievement of accredited Awards.

The course covers the following elements:

• Relationships
• Sexual relationships

Learning objectives:

By the end of the course learners should have understood:

Part A

• What is meant by ‘relationships and personal relationships
• The different types of relationships that people tend to have
• How relationships work
• What relationships provide incl. sense of self, identity, security,
self-esteem etc.
• How many people with Learning Disabilities are hampered
from developing relationships
• How family and supporters inhibiting development in this important area
of life
• How to provide support that prepares service users for adult
relationships; issues of assertiveness, confidence building, positive
self-image etc.
• How to facilitate service users defining the relationships they want
• How to support them to access information about social opportunities, how they would access these and the levels of support that they require
• The worker’s role in ensuring that relationships are not exploitive and/or abusive
• Their role in reporting suspected abuse

Part B

• What the term ‘sexuality’ means (in the broadest sense)
• Definitions
• Why the subject raises so many strong feelings when it is discussed in the context of people with Learning Disabilities
• How to focus on professional responsibility and not to get enmeshed in personal judgement; conflict between service users’ needs and staff’s personal morality, culture and religion
• How sexuality is a human need
• What sexuality gives the individual-e.g. Self-esteem, intimacy etc.
• How the denial of sexuality may negatively impact on the individual
e.g. aggressive behaviour
• How people with Learning Disabilities have traditionally been regarded and how sexuality was dealt with in Institutions (to include sexual abuse)
• Infantalisation-How families and support workers can inhibit the development of the individual; regarding the individual as being non-sexual
• What support, if any would be appropriate for staff to offer? How far to go?
• The professionals and agencies that can assist in offering appropriate support
• What is meant by sexual abuse and the different ways this could happen
• How to respond to a suspicion of sexual abuse/exploitation.
• Working within the Law-Aspects of the Mental Capacity Act, the Sexual Offenses Act and No Secrets

Training methods:

• Ice breaking exercises
• Tutor presentations
• Small and larger group work
• Chalk and talk
• OHP/PowerPoint presentations
• Role Play
• Word shower method
• Handouts
• Case studies

CP00/0.0