Inclusive Sex Education and Autism

Sex education is a core element of school education in the UK and understanding about sex and relationships is important for every individual. However, there is limited discussion of how this is delivered for children with special educational needs such as autism.

This session will focus on some of the complexities involved in providing sex education to children on autism spectrum and the impact of various factors such as gender, sexuality and religion. It argues for developing a more inclusive sex education curriculum. There will be a general lecture and time for audience Q&A. 

Speaker: Dr. Perepa is a Lecturer in Autism Studies within the Department of Disability, Inclusion and Special Needs (DISN) and a member of the Autism Centre for Education Research (ACER). He is the joint programme leader for the distance learning Autism Children programme. His research focuses mainly on the field of autism, educational provision and family experiences. He has particular interest in the intersectionality of culture and autism, autism and sexuality and the co-occurrence of autism and intellectual disabilities. His research aims to improve the quality of life of individuals on the autism spectrum and their family members.  Prithvi contributes to the discussions about autism by presenting at national and international conferences and public events.