Barriers to CSE for children and young People with disabilities and how to overcome them

Abstract

Abstract While sexuality education can support children and young people with disabilities in their sexual development and contribute to their wellbeing, challenges to its provision exist. In this part of the workshop, we will focus on CSE for children and young people with disabilities. More specifically, we will present the current scientific evidence on barriers to CSE for this specific group, based on a recently published paper in the Journal of Sex Education. We will present results of a scoping review based on scientific literature from 2006 up to 2020. Together, the identified studies present seven barriers to sexuality education for children and young people with disabilities, including the social misperception of people with disabilities as asexual and in need of protection which, combined with limited support for educators, resulted in noncomprehensive and normative sexuality education. Educators seemed inclined to redirect responsibility for sexuality education to others, and diversity among children and young people with disabilities, as well as cultural and religious diversity, makes it difficult to define a general approach. Finally, competing priorities related to the general health and wellbeing of children and young people with disabilities may appear to render sexuality education less important. Further, we will enter in discussion with the audience to discuss recommendations to overcome these barriers in different settings and countries. Finally, attention is given to best practices of doing research with children and young people with disabilities. We will present some best practices that can be applied in research on different topics and in different settings.