Read this guide on how to put on a condom by Easy Health.
Supported Loving toolkit
Contraception and sexual health
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There's a need for clear, accessible information and advice about contraception for people with learning disabilities.
This section covers access to contraception and other sexual health advice and guidance for people with learning disabilities. It will discuss the need for clear, accessible information and advice about contraception and the need for sexual health services that meet the needs of everyone.
This is important because some people do not believe that people with learning disabilities will need contraception and other sexual health services because they cannot have relationships. This is not true. Sometimes women with learning disabilities are given contraception without a clear explanation of what it is for. This is not ok.
Lightley Consulting is sex positive in our approach to working with everyone, especially people with learning disabilities. We believe that everyone has the right to good quality information presented in a way that they can understand.
Common areas where people may need support
If you are someone with a learning disability that needs contraceptive or sexual health advice or treatment you have a right to have this, whatever age you are.* Some common areas you might need help with could be getting access to condoms, getting advice about masturbation, having sex or being able to have a discussion about what form of contraception would be most suitable for you. You can ask people that support you to help you find a family planning or sexual health clinic. You might want them, or someone else, to come with you to the clinic, especially for the first appointment – this is ok. The clinics are run by hospitals and doctors surgeries and they have staff who are specially trained in family planning and sexual health who can help you. This will be better than going to a GP to talk about these issues because your GP will not be an expert in them.
If you are supporting someone with a learning disability who wants to go to a clinic it is useful to check and see if any local hospitals have a clinic specifically for people with learning disabilities. These clinics are the same as others only they will have longer appointment slots and the doctors, nurses and health advisors will be specially trained.
If you are supporting someone with a learning disability who has not requested to go to a clinic but has engaged in unprotected sexual activity you should talk to them about visiting a sexual health clinic. Often the clinics that are specifically for people with learning disabilities will have accessible information that you can read through with the person you support. The reference section contains some accessible information ideas if your local clinic does not have any.
If you know that a woman with a learning disability that you support takes or has fitted a form of contraception, but they do not understand that they will not be able to get pregnant while they take it or have it in or on their body this should be reviewed. There may be a valid reason they take it, for example for help with menstruation issues, but if it is being used as a ‘precaution’ in case they engage in sexual activity this should be questioned with the clinicians who administered it.
*If you are under 13 and having sex with someone a clinic will probably have to report this to a safeguarding team.
Do...
- check out specialist services in your local area
- accompany the person with the learning disability to any appointments they may have if they want you to
- find some accessible information about contraception/sexual health to support their visit.
Don't...
- speak for the person with a learning disability during appointments and don’t let clinicians ask you for information that the person can give themselves
- let services assume that people with learning disabilities can’t make decisions about contraception and sexual health
- ignore this important area of people’s health because it is embarrassing or difficult.
Case Study
Claire Lightley from Lightley Consulting has worked with two hospitals to provide specific sexual health clinics for people with learning disabilities. At one of these clinics we were visited by a couple with Downs Syndrome who had been dating for four years. They were ready to take their relationship further and they were supported by their parents who brought them to the clinic but did not come into any of their sessions. We were asked to provide them with information and advice about sex and contraception. We did four sessions at the clinic talking about what sex is, different types of sex, consent, pleasure, pregnancy, condoms and other forms of contraception.
The young woman did decide to go on the contraceptive pill and they both understood about how to use condoms. They left the sessions feeling happy and more prepared.
Claire Lightley, founder of Lightley Consulting
The views expressed in the Supported Loving toolkit are not necessarily those of Choice Support.
Resources
How to put on a condom
Unity Sexual Health Website
An easy read website from University Hospitals Bristol with information about sex, relationships and contraception.
Safe sex and contraception
Safe sex and contraception, in easy words and pictures, Change
Supported Loving toolkit
The Supported Loving network has produced a series of guides to help support people with learning disabilities with issues around sex and relationships.
Read more
What is Supported Loving?
For people with learning disabilities finding love is often more than just chemistry – it can come down to getting the right support from your staff.
Read more
Supported Loving network
Supported Loving is not a formal membership organisation. Anyone can take part, it is free.
Read more