3.1 Barriers to loving relationships

Slide 1 The image shows the arms and legs of a man in a wheelchair. The main is typing into his phone. Beneath the image reads: ‘Attitudes. People with learning disabilities are viewed as ‘asexual’ or like children. People’s sexual rights are not understood or respected.’

Slide 2 The image shows two connected pieces of puzzle. The read piece has the word sex on it and the pink piece has the word love on it. Beneath the image reads: ‘Limited information and training made available to people with learning disabilities, staff and family members. Sex education for people with learning disabilities is very patchy is terms of scope and quality.’

Slide 3 The image shows a bus in traffic. Beneath the image reads: ‘Practical difficulties, such as supporting people to meet others, a lack of privacy and challenges around transport to get to places.

Slide 4 The image shows a close up of a filing cabinet. The photo zooms in on the file labelled Policies. Beneath the image reads: ‘Confusion about the law and policy. In particular, people are unsure about whether a person with learning disabilities can consent to being in a relationship or have sex.’

Slide 5 The image shows a woman standing by a window with the blinds drawn looking upset. She is looking down with her chin resting on her hands. Beneath the image reads: ‘Concerns about risk. Families and services understandably want to protect people from getting into harmful or abusive relationships. But sometimes this focus on risk means that people miss out on opportunities to be in good relationships.’