Sexuality Education

In Victoria, government schools are required to provide sexuality education. As with any other area of the curriculum, it is expected that teachers provide additional support to students with a disability to ensure that they can access learning on the same basis as their peers.

According to the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development,

click here to see this source, and other information from the Department about sexuality education

The areas of effective communication and decision-making may present additional challenges for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who experience difficulty with communication and executive function. Concepts such as “respect for others and self” are very complex. Because this particular concept is context-dependent and social in nature, it should be broken down and explained logically, with clear examples. It may be appropriate to support students with ASD to develop a framework which they can apply when making decisions.

The sections of this website which describe methods for adapting teaching and assessment should be applied to the area of sexuality education. However, some additional information is supplied in this section of the website, to support school staff to consider how sexuality education may differ for students with ASD. Teachers who are unsure of how to proceed with their individual students are encouraged to seek advice from the student support group, members of the school’s leadership team, the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development or reputable organisations such as Amaze.