MSA Social-Sexual Education and Healthy Relationship Policy.

1. Philosophy Policy Statement The humanity and independence of people with disabilities should be respected. Education and skill practice are key to promoting healthy and mutually respectful behavior, regardless of the young person’s abilities. Learning about sexual health is a necessity. Social-Sexual Education and Healthy Relationships includes not just sexuality, but also the acknowledgement of feelings, ways of relating to self and others, self-esteem, gender identification, and sexual orientation. Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, share the need to love and be loved, and as consenting adults to establish relationships with persons of their choice and to express their sexuality, if they are not injuring themselves or others. Staff need to be trained to help the students they support to develop healthy and functional expressions of their sexuality.

Students with a developmental disability have the right to: 1. Be treated with respect and dignity. 2. Learn skills that enable them to make informed and safe decisions about their own lives. 3. Live, learn, work and enjoy life as part of the community. 4. Receive the support that meets their goals and aspirations, including sexuality and relationships.

To ensure that this happens, MSA will: 1. Value the voice, and advocate for the rights, of our students. 2. Support and advocate with families. 3. Promote inclusion. 4. Involve the students we support in making decisions about their lives. 5. Provide support that promotes self-determination and independence. 6. Treat the students we support and their families with respect. 7. Respect the cultural values of each student and their family.

2. Contextual Statement Policy Statement Who we are and how we feel about ourselves is vital to our well-being. Sexuality is an integral part of each individual. Individuality includes: 1. Culture 2. Spirituality 3. Gender/Gender Identity 4. Sexuality – self-image, self-esteem, relationships, choice making, sexual orientation 5. Every individual has the right to be supported to develop loving and safe friendships and relationships.

3. Goals Policy Statement MSA will provide a firm foundation of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors that promotes each student's optimum physical, mental, emotional, and social development. All students will: 1. Learn and apply wellness promotion concepts and skills to support a healthy, active lifestyle; 2. Use health-enhancing, personal, interpersonal, and life skills to support a healthy, active lifestyle; 3. Learn and apply information about alcohol, tobacco, other drugs and medicines to make decisions that support a healthy, active lifestyle; 4. Learn the physical, emotional, and social aspects of human relationships and sexuality and apply these concepts to support a healthy, active lifestyle; 5. Utilize safe, efficient, and effective movement to develop and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle; and 6. Apply health-related and skill-related fitness concepts and skills to develop and maintain a healthy, active lifestyle.

4. Consent Policy Statement Parents or guardians are the first and primary sexual health educators of children. What parents say and do can have a powerful influence on the development of healthy sexuality in children. Social-Sexual Education and Healthy Relationships Curriculum provides the opportunity to practice skills for becoming more successful in navigating and responding to social and sexual situations appropriately. Social-Sexual Education and Healthy Relationships Curriculum also provides students with vital information to help them safely navigate the world and minimize the likelihood of harm or abuse. MSA is committed to partnering with parents in implementing Social-Sexual and Healthy Relationships Curriculum within the school. MSA will inform parents about the curriculum, communicate regularly with parents about the implementation of the curriculum and gain signed consent from each parent before commencing Social-Sexual and Healthy Relationships Curriculum, with that student. Parents are invited and encouraged to participate in learning sessions and meetings about Social-Sexual and Healthy Relationship Curriculum at MSA and are encouraged to openly communicate with MSA staff regarding this important issue.

5. Friendships and Relationships Policy Statement Students with a developmental disability have the right to develop relationships and to determine the nature of these relationships. While some individuals may need support in developing and maintaining relationships, others will not. Most relationships are not sexual, but some are physically affectionate. All people have the right to be physically affectionate with an agreeable party. Physical affection differs from sex. Sex is the touching of the sexual parts (breasts, vagina, penis, anus) of the body for sexual gratification. Physical affection does not require the ability to provide consent but rather, just a willing partner. Students will be supported and educated on healthy relationships and safe boundaries as part of the school’s health curriculum.

MSA will: 1. Provide students with support and education on developing and navigating friendships and relationships. 2. Ensure all school staff receive training and support to enable them to provide assistance to students as needed. 3. Acknowledge and honor all relationships that students may wish to have as long as there is not undue harm, abuse, or exploitation. 4. Consistently support the right of the student to have relationships in the manner that they feel most comfortable.

MSA staff will: 1. Not engage in a dating /romantic/sexual relationship with a student. 2. Respect people’s right to make mistakes in relationships as long as they are not unduly hurt, exploited or harmed. 3. Report any situations that they become aware of where a student is being unduly hurt, harmed or placed at risk. As all staff are mandated reporters, this would include a report to the State Mandated Reporter Hotline, in situations where abuse or neglect are suspected. 4. Ensure students have access to support and counseling if required for relationships. 5. Work within the student’s value system; not the value system of others (staff, family, friends etc.). 6. Support students to understand their responsibilities within any relationship. 7. Ensure that education and resources are provided to help students develop relationships that are meaningful to them.

6. Education and Training Policy Statement Students with developmental disabilities have the right to access information, education, resources, and support within the area of human relations and sexuality in a format they can understand and relate to.

MSA will: 1. Ensure students can talk openly and honestly about sexuality in a private, confidential setting. 2. Provide education and information depending on interest and need, at a level and pace each student can understand. 3. Provide resources and education to aide in the development of: • Self-awareness, awareness of others and self-esteem • Body language and social cues • Assertiveness • Relationships • Body changes and awareness • Awareness of self as a sexual being • Abstinence • Sexual expression • Awareness of laws relating to sexual expression • Avoiding abuse • Personal and sexual hygiene • STD’s and HIV/AIDS • Pregnancy and contraception • Marriage • Parenting skills

Staff will be given information to support students with: • Choice making • Privacy • Attitudes and values toward sexuality • Safe/safer sex • Contraception • Anatomy and Physiology • Body changes and awareness • Sterilization • Relationships • Friendships • Communication • Social skills • Keeping safe from abuse • Sexual behavior • Sexual health • Parenting

Staff will also: 1. Ensure that they are well informed about issues relating to Sexuality and Relationship Education. 2. Be appropriate role models. 3. Acknowledge that this is a sensitive and private, integral, part of student's lives and will not impart their own personal, political, cultural, ethical, moral and /or religious values. 4. Follow the ALLISSIT (Always Affirm, Limited Information, Specific Suggestion, Intensive Therapy) model when dealing with questions and concerns from the students they support. 5. Protect the students they support from undue harm, abuse or exploitation. 6. Receive additional specific training and support relating to the individual needs of the students they support.

Resources Any resources used for the Social-Sexual and Healthy Relationship Curriculum must be MSA approved materials. MSA are currently exploring various curriculums that are appropriate for the MSA community and will and update this list periodically. Examples of currently approved materials include:

• “Circles” • “YAI Relationship Series” • “Growing Up” • "Flash" • "Taking Care of Myself"

7. Contraception Policy Statement People with a developmental disability have a right to make informed choices about contraception. MSA will: 1. Ensure that the students we support have age appropriate and adequate information regarding contraception options and side effects. 2. Ensure that information relating to contraception will be available to all staff via training forums. 3. Acknowledge that the people we support have a right to choose not to be on contraception.

The staff will: 1. Recognize that the students you support can choose to use contraception to regulate menstruation. 2. Ensure that students will be supported in their informed choice of contraception.

8. Reproduction Policy Statement People with a developmental disability have the right to make informed decisions about the reproductive aspects of their lives. MSA will: 1. Ensure staff is fully informed about issues relating to menstruation regulation, safe sex practices, contraception, and the right to prevent unwanted pregnancy. 2. Ensure students are educated about their reproductive health. 3. Ensure that students have appropriate clinical support to make decisions. 4. Advocate for education for all involved parties as to the laws regarding sterilization

The staff will: 1. Support students to recognize the responsibility and implications of becoming a parent. 2. Support students to manage their menstruation cycle. 3. Educate students about the importance of regular medical support and check-ups relating to their reproductive health.

9. Family Policy Statement: MSA maintains that the families have the right to know the schools Sexuality and Sexual Consent policies MSA will: 1. Ensure that families receive information about Social-Sexual and Healthy Relationship Curriculum used within the school. 2. Ensure that families can seek clarification regarding any issue in regard to the policy.

3. Strongly encourage families to participate in supporting their child in developing a healthy understanding of human growth and development, relationships and sexuality. 4. Foster a collaborative partnership with families to ensure self-understanding, self-esteem and self- determination for each student while promoting positive pro-social adaptive behaviors in the home, at school and in the community.