Sexual Health
3. Cooperation
3.3. Cooperation with professionals
Photo: G.H. Lunde
In order to secure proper sexual development, parents may take their children with them to discuss their situation with collaborators and professionals in sexual health, but also others. Parents may ask professionals to help them provide children with information and to motivate them to talk about their need of support in sexual issues.
However, we have to remember that the person is an expert of their own life and an empowered person can decide what support they need (5). Parents and professionals e.g. at the childcare centre, school or health institution are responsible for securing chances for PWID to make decisions on their own lives. A prerequisite for this is to have knowledge, relevant information and be involved in daily tasks. Most individuals with ID are competent to give their consent, they are able to fully consent because they:
- Are able to speak/talk about her/his choices
- Are able to understand relevant information in order to make a decision
- Have the ability to understand the consequences of their own actions/ choices
- Are able to use information weighing factors for and against a certain choice
- Are able to evaluate which areas they are able to give their consent in (and when the person is not able to consent in every situation)
The above features are described by psychology specialist B. Holden (Rehabilitation Centre at Sykehuset innlandet, Norway) (6). In order to understand and make decisions about their own life, most people with ID need training in the skills mentioned above.
Since PWID often experience complex sexual challenges (it may be a combination of physical and psychological issues that a disability may reinforce), cooperation between professionals is beneficial for the person and their relatives. Professionals are stronger together and they can recognise more aspects of a person’s life, as well as in other people’s lives. Professionals together are better at finding holistic approaches for the best interest of the PWID.
Examples of professionals that parents and people with ID may cooperate with are (3):
- The healthcare/disability nurse at a childcare centre or social services can help to coordinate services for the child and the family.
- The GP may be an important partner. Together with the patient (and their relatives), the GP ought to decide whether it is necessary to make a referral to other specialists that can be beneficial for the patient to talk to, be treated by or apply to for guidance.
- Employees at a daycare centre or kindergarten may be important partners when it comes to facilitating educational measures for the child.
- Teachers are natural collaborators in the school. They are responsible for providing well-adapted learning, - also in sexual health.
- Some families may need help by professionals at mental health services or child welfare services.
ACTIVITIES:
- Go to the Human rights module and find out more about consent and self-determination/autonomy
- Go to the Communication module and find examples of how to cooperate with your child/sibling/client and other professionals, relate this to your child’s sexual health.
- Try to find out who in your region you may cooperate with in order to help your child developing and experiencing safe and stimulation living conditions (In Europe, these services differ from country to country).
