Preparing for When the Bus Stops Coming:
A Need for Curriculum for Teaching Hygiene, Sexuality and Healthy Social Relationships to Individuals with Autism
By Catherine Hughes
The future can seem daunting for adults and young adults on the autism spectrum, and their supportive parents and family members. What happens after the cap and gown? The answer is unique to each person.
There are options. But what if a community college campus or vocational program does not meet all of the individual’s needs? After high school, the struggles of dealing with complex social demands and the sudden loss of schedule and structure can make valuing self-care, dealing with emotional and physical body changes, and effective social interaction, difficult tasks.
For many seeking social, vocational, and relationship supports for individuals with autism and/or intellectual disabilities requires a curriculum to address these critical issues. Effective curriculum engages students and young adults through attractive materials, interesting interactive lessons, pre and post testing, and visual aids along with home supplements for families.
By preparing adolescents and young adults with disabilities to practice effective hygiene and self-care, understand the human body’s physical and emotional changes during their transition years, and initiate and maintain healthy social relationships across multiple domains to promote generalization, we can set them up for success. They will then be better equipped to fully engage in post-secondary learning institutions, vocational environments, and ultimately independent living settings with success.
There is deep value in introducing such lessons at an early age to build upon skills each year. It is essential for truly any young adult to be armed with information to pursue and sustain healthy - and safe - relationships to thrive in adulthood, but individuals with autism especially so in order to grow into strong self-advocates. Individuals need - and deserve - to absorb and use this information to promote autonomy but also to prevent victimization. By equipping people with the right information, presented in the most effective manner, we help people to self-advocate and live their best lives.
Catherine Hughes is a community strategist, employed as a
social entrepreneur with the Organizational Advancement
department of Wesley Family Services. She represents the
the Healthy Relationships Curriculum, authored by Dr. Larry
Sutton, and developed through his 20+ years of practice in
the field of autism and developmental disabilities..
To request a packet with sample lessons, ask a general
question or schedule a meeting with our team, visit
www.healthyrelationshipscurriculum.org and
click “Contact” in the upper right corner.