Supporting the sexuality of the intellectually disabled: How institutional change and vocational training can help

SummaryThis article explains how peoples’ attitudes have changed in past years to sexuality for the disabled. This change in attitude has been largely fostered by the extensive work of reflection on the involvement of the administrative authorities and the acquisition of new competences by carers, helping them to integrate this new mindset to the multitude of individual situations that can arise. By adopting a medical-social model, we have been able to move away from a “care-based” system towards a “support-based” system for helping clients with their sexuality. Professionals need theoretical and institutional landmarks in order to best meet client needs. Managers of care facilities must play a leading role in developing an institutional project for sexuality that will be a guideline for carers in deciding what action to take in a given situation to support the sexuality of residents.