Development and Acceptability Testing: Relationships and Sexuality in Intellectual Disability Education Project, 2023-2025

In an earlier phase of this research, we asked children and young people with intellectual disabilities, parents of children and young people with intellectual disabilities, and healthcare and education professionals, about their Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) needs. We found that children and young people with intellectual disabilities want education and information to develop their knowledge and understanding regarding friendships, relationships and the expression of their sexuality. Parents and professionals recognise the need for children and young people with intellectual disabilities to have access to education that is tailored and specific to their individual needs. In this phase of the research we developed and tested the acceptability of our online RESIDE programme. RESIDE comprises seven topics which portray RSE topics our previous research identified as of importance. These include friendship, family, personal safety and social media, individual health and well-being, respect and consent, puberty, and embracing sex and parenthood. Each topic includes three steps: Step 1, Step 2, Step 3. Every step includes learning objectives, an animated video, discussion points and activities.

We will test acceptability of the newly developed RESIDE programme with children and young people with intellectual disabilities, parents of children and young people with intellectual disabilities, and teachers, school nurses, etc who teach RSE (hereafter referred to as professionals), in special schools across England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The professionals will deliver the RESIDE programme to pupils over a four-week period. Acceptability will be achieved via an online acceptability questionnaire and semi-structured individual interviews.