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Services

Case Consultancy & Referral

Send SMS or Email to begin. I can usually refer on where necessary. This may be followed with a phone conversation at a mutually agreeable time, free of charge.

For a fee, I am  available to meet to discuss specific case issues and to help agencies, individuals or families to identify approaches and resources they can use.

NOTE: Where problematic sexual behaviours are the main stimulus for the referral, AND the individual concerned is resistant to direct interaction with another professional, I will not work with them directly. Instead, my focus will be on engaging with the team around the individual and helping them identify changes to their approaches that they can implement.

Individualised Assessment of Sexual Knowledge, Awareness  & Attitudes

An assessment of a person's sexual knowledge can be a useful way to:

• open up discussion about potenially embarassing but important topics
• start building a communication relationship with an individual
• provide an indication of their strengths and weaknesses of knowledge
• suggest an effective education program
• make recommendations for future social action and supports.

I am not a psychologist, so I do not offer psychometric testing as a part of assessment and cannot legally assess a person's capacity to consent for instance.

However, I use a blend of informal and formal questioning approaches which can assist a person to share the sexual knowledge, awareness and attitudes they have, even with few words.

I require that any vulnerable individual is accompanied by an adult who the person trusts. This is to witness the interaction and to support conversations and actions later.

Often a preliminary consultation with family members and/or support teams may be useful, for which a fee will also be charged.

Anything from 1-2 60 or 90 minute sessions may be required to complete the task.

Depending on the iindividual situation, a report outlining the findings and recommendations can be compiled and addressed to the individual or their parents or other professionals.

Individualised Education

Following - or interspersed with - an assessment process , a series of education sessions and tailored resources can be provided which seek to strengthen the capacity of the individual and to help cover the gaps in their knowledge.

Given the nature of the topics, I require a support person (or two alternating people) to be present or nearby as a witness to interactions and to follow through on conversations and actions if required. Such support people must be consistent throughout the program and preferably chosen by the individual concerned. Where support persons change without warning and particularly where the individual expresses discomfort with this, I will withdraw my services until the matter is remedied.

A final report will be compiled and usually addressed to the individual.

NOTE: I will not usually provide a direct service to a person under the age of 17, except in special circumstances. Where a support person such as a parent, speech therapist, youth worker or mentor is committed to be part of the entire process and witnesses interactions and is available for follow-up with the individual, I will consider it.

If explicit teaching about non-injurious masturbation, personal hygiene and genital self-care is required (using 3D models, short videos using 3D models or photos of real people) I require that another professional is present throughout such sessions. This may be expensive but it is absolutely about protecting the vulnerable young person and all people in the team including myself.

Tailored Group Learning

I do not provide a standardised group program. Everyone's needs are different. I will work with small groups of people living with a disability who have common learning needs as long as there are support people collaborating with and witnessing the process. Agencies with a group of individuals that wish to provide education are welcome to approach me to assist with planning and/or delivery of their program as an equal partner or as a mentor.

Staff Training

Introduction to Sexuality and Disability Module:

Exploration of values, breaking the ice, research findings, pathways for supported conversations about sexuality and safety issues and introduction to education resources can be a feature of these sessions. Anything from 4-7 hours.

The NGO sector and TAFE are welcome to request a module that can be delivered repeatedly in a standardised format and content to fit the requirements of the Certificate IV in Community Services CHC42015.

Tailored Training:

I can provide Tailored Training for groups or workers, volunteers or parents. This may include:

• exploring strategies to respond to specific problematic socio-sexual behaviours
• practical, technological or social solutions to sexuality or reproductive health needs that are raised because of a particular disability.

Strategic responses will be explored that can cater to the strengths and interests of the individuals being educated.

My focus is on exploring:

• key messages and supportive language that all support people need to learn and keep at the forefront of their conversations with each other and their clients
• the education resources that can be used to support the work

Parents, disability workers, volunteers and agencies as well as workers from other sectors such as aged care are welcome to contact me about your needs.

Positive Behaviour Support:

I am not a Psychologist or a Developmental Educator.

So I am not authorised or trained to write Positive Behaviour Support Plans, but I am happy to be consulted by those who can or to co-present to teams with a person who has written such a plan.

I will explore with anyone, how the methods they are already using can be applied in the area of sexuality and healthy relationships. Parents, disability workers, volunteers and agencies as well as workers from other sectors such as aged care are welcome to contact me about your needs.

Image from Rules About Sex, Getting Them Right, SHine SA, drawn by Simon Kneebone