Our ABC and SLIP Programmes

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Our sexual behaviours education programmes are designed to support neurotypical young people aged 9 to 18 and people with learning disabilities or autism aged 9 upwards (no upper age limit), who are showing signs of inappropriate behaviour or signs of becoming involved in inappropriate behaviour. Our aims:

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• to close the gaps in their knowledge and understanding

• to help participants to understand the possible consequences of such behaviours

through education

• to help prevent the issues from affecting their mental health and wellbeing

• to have the understanding, skills and information to make their own decisions

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We can only accept referrals that meet our criteria and include all the required information. Please read the following information before completing a referral form.

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Our educational programmes (ABC and SLIP) are designed to help address low level but inappropriate sexual behaviour in children, young people and people who have a learning disability or autism. While these behaviours are not harmful or abusive, they are not age appropriate either chronologically or developmentally and require gentle correction, boundary-setting, and education.

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Education alone can only prevent or change some sexual behaviours because certain sexual behaviours are shaped by more than knowledge and therefore require a different level of support such as therapy.​

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When education alone is not appropriate

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We are unable to support individuals where the reason for referral includes:

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• Behaviours linked to Trauma

• Sexual Violence (Including Rape, Assault)

• Sexual behaviours towards peers, siblings, vulnerable Individuals

• A persistent inability to understand or respect the importance of consent in sexual situations

• Sexual Addiction or Compulsive/ Repeated Sexual Behaviour

• Repeated Sexual Harassment or Bullying

• Exhibitionism or Voyeurism

• Sexual Coercion or Manipulation

• Fetishism

• Paedophilic or Incestuous Behaviour

• Aggressive behaviour towards professionals

 

If you or the person you were hoping to refer needs support with any of the above our counselling service may be able to help. To speak to a counsellor please email counselling@dhiverse.org.uk

 

Alternatively you could contact Sexual Behaviour Service, Youth Justice Team, Peterborough City Council or Cambridgeshire County Council, the Lucy Faithful Foundation or the NSPCC.

 

When education might be appropriate

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Our educational programmes are designed to support neurotypical young people aged 9 to 18 and people with learning disabilities or autism aged 9 upwards (no upper age limit), who are showing signs of inappropriate behaviour or signs of becoming involved in inappropriate behaviour as defined below:

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• Sharing or requesting sexual images

• Accessing sexual content that is unsafe or illegal

• Re-enacting sexual content/behaviours they’ve seen online or in media

• Sexualised bullying

• Early signs of behaviours rooted in misogyny, homophobia, transphobia

• Early signs of manipulative behaviours (emotional pressure) e.g. If you loved /liked me you’d …do this/ let me do that/ send me a picture

• Repeatedly ignoring “no”

• Invading personal space

• Touching others without permission

• Not understanding that different contexts have different rules (e.g., public vs private spaces)

• Using sexual language, they don’t understand

• Making unwanted sexual comments or jokes

• Unwanted flirting or repeated sexualised attention

• Not recognising when they are making someone feel uncomfortable

• Engaging with strangers in unsafe ways

• Not understanding boundaries in relationships

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The aims of our programmes

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• to close the gaps in their knowledge and understanding

• to help participants to understand the possible consequences of such behaviours through education

• to help prevent the issues from affecting their mental health and wellbeing

• to have the understanding, skills, and information to make their own decisions

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We help to address inappropriate behaviours through exploring key topics relevant to the behaviour. Key topics include Consent, Relationships, Online Literacy, Sexual Health, Body Image.

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Information about the programmes

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The ABC Programme and the SLIP Programme have the same aims and are delivered in the same way. The only difference is that ABC is designed to support people who have a learning disability or autism of any age 9 or above and SLIP is designed to support mainstream children and young people aged 9 to 18.

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Participation in the programme is voluntary and individuals must consent to the referral.

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Participants generally get more from the programme if they join a group and waiting times for groups are shorter, so we encourage participants and referrers to consider the benefits of joining a group. However, we recognise that some people prefer the privacy of a 1-1 session and feel more comfortable learning on their own. We can see people on a 1-1 basis but waiting times are generally longer.

 

Sessions are generally 60 minutes and the number of sessions an individual needs generally depends on the reason for the referral. The full programme is six sessions including the ‘Is this for Me?’ assessment session. Sessions are designed to be delivered in an informal, friendly, and supportive way and our facilitators are guided by what the individual wants to learn.​

 

T&Cs, Charges, and Information for Participants

 

Terms & Conditions

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION: Both ABC & SLIP are FREE of charge for people who live in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough. However, if someone lives in Cambridgeshire or Peterborough but wants us to deliver face to face sessions out of county, there will be a charge for this. Both ABC & SLIP sessions are also available for people living outside of Cambridgeshire or Peterborough but there is a charge.

 

Please be aware that, if member of our team arrives at the venue to be told that the appointment cannot go ahead, you will be required to pay a fee to cover our travel and admin costs.

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Dhiverse Charges

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Service User Appointment Policy

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SU Confidentiality, Rights & Responsibilities Policy

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Information sharing (please share with the person you are referring)

 

Information sharing is vital to safeguarding and to promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults at risk. If we believe that the participant or someone else is at risk of harm, we may need to break confidentiality and share information with other professionals to keep people safe. We will usually tell the participant if we need to do this, but we might need to do this without informing them first or without their agreement.

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To help our service users get the best and most appropriate support for their situation, it can also be good practice for us to share information about their situation with other professionals, their family, guardian, or carer. However, we will only do this when it is relevant, necessary and for their benefit and we will let them know what we are sharing and why.
 

Making a referral

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If you are referring a child or young person aged 9 to 17 it is your responsibility to inform the parent or to ensure that a CYP aged 13 or above has the capacity to engage, in line with Fraser Guidelines /Gillick Competencies. This is not our responsibility.

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By submitting a referral form you are confirming you understand the above responsibility, you have read all of the above information, the person you are referring has consented to the referral and that you agree with the Terms and Conditions.​

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For more information, or for help completing your form, contact Marisol at education@dhiverse.org.uk or 01223 508805.

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