This article discusses key considerations and practical strategies for educators to effectively support Autistic learners in making informed and healthy choices.

Advocating for Inclusion

As educators, we play a vital role in advocating for inclusive RSE for neurodivergent learners. A common misconception is that Autistic children should be "protected" from sex education, with concerns that they might find it overwhelming. However, shielding them from RSE does not protect them; instead it leaves them vulnerable to misinformation, unsupported in their relationships, and unprepared to navigate personal boundaries. Comprehensive and inclusive RSE helps Autistic young people to feel empowered to make informed and healthy choices.  

Understanding Individual Needs

Puberty can be an agonising learning curve - after all, eveything keeps changing! Autistic young people may struggle more than their peers to integrate changes, and they may encounter additional challenges in the social and emotional communication required to make sense of the changing ‘rules’ of adolescence. 

For instance, they may have additional support needs around learning to understand non-verbal consent cues, or feel confused by the cultural ‘scripts’ that guide romantic and sexual interactions. Some Autistic young people may have a hard time articulating their own boundaries and relationship needs. In these cases, personalised education is needed to support them to feel safe and comfortable in relationships. 

Individual Sessions or Small Groups

Some Autistic students may feel too unsettled or overwhelmed in group lessons to learn effectively. Some want to ask lots and lots of questions, while others may feel unable to ask questions at all. For these learners, individual sessions or small group settings can be helpful in reducing sensory input and creating a safe space for them to engage with the material. 

I remember one very anxious 14-year-old Autistic student who was referred for six Brook RSE sessions on consent and youth-produced sexual imagery. Despite being extremely anxious and withdrawn at first, she eventualy relaxed enough to engage in learning. Afterwards she wrote, “I feel a lot better. My voice was listened to and I felt very comfortable. I know how to be safe now.” 

Differentiation and Additional Support

It’s important to remember that RSE is complex; it involves personal reflection and social and emotional communication. Differentiation for Autistic learners involves tailoring RSE content to suit their learning and communication styles. This means really understanding each learner’s individual profile. (One thing I have noticed over the years is that academically capable Autistic learners’ RSE needs are often inadvertently overlooked!)

Differentiation might include using visual aids, allowing extra time for processing, and ‘chunking’ - breaking down information into manageable chunks. Autistic learners, especially those with learning disabilities, may require additional support, such as a teaching assistant or specialised resources. 

Helpful Teaching Approaches

1. Diverse Resources: Remember to use materials that represent a broad range of identities, including different neurotypes, abilities, genders, ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, and sexual orientations. Diverse represenations help children develop a sense of belonging and a respect for diversity.
2. Visual Explanations: Pictures, diagrams, timelines, and videos can help to make concepts more accessible. For younger children, try role play and social stories. For older learners, try a yes/no flow-chart to explore the possible outcomes of things like unprotected sex or sending an explicit image. 
3. Character Development: Developing relatable characters can help students to feel comfortable exploring topics and scenarios. Some children may even like to invent their own character to explore RSE topics. 
4. Accurate language: Using medically accurate language to describe anatomy and bodily processes is essential. Many Autistic people are more literal in their communication, and euphemisms can be confusing. Say things clearly – for example, “genitals” instead of “down there.”
5. Declarative language: Declarative statements allow us to share something without requiring a verbal response, which can lead to pressure or panic. So rather than saying, “How would you feel if somebody did that?” we might say, “I would feel really sad and angry if somebody did that.” We can even use declarative language to ask a question more gently, e.g. “I sometimes wonder how you felt when that happened.”
6. Distancing techniques: Distancing techniques can help where learners feel uncomfortable with certain topics. Summon your inner Attenborough and frame questions in an inpersonal and anthropological way. For example, I might say things like, “Humans are so interesting, aren’t we! Why do you think we humans tend to cover our private parts?” or “Why do you think we humans have such strong ideas about how the different genders should behave?”

Involving Parents

Parents and carers play a crucial role in successful RSE for their Autistic children, and regular communication between school and home helps create consistency across environments. Keeping parents and carers informed and engaged in RSE supports collaboration and helps them to anticipate follow-up questions or emotional responses from their children at home.

Providing effective RSE to Autistic children requires an inclusive and sensitive approach. Taking the time to establish a safe space is essential, as is understanding the support needs of each individual learner. For some young people, offering choices along the way can reduce a panic response and offer sense of freedom in engaging with important topics. 

Remember, there are lots of resources available to assist educators in RSE, such as Brook's website. 

Thank you for reading this blog, keep up the great work, and don’t hesitate to reach out for support. I’d also love to know what’s worked in your practice. What strategies have worked well? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.

Blog contribution from:

Rebecca Cant, Resource Development Coordinator, Brook