Sex and the 3 Rs Rights, Risks and Responsiblities

Michelle McCarthy has worked with people with learning disabilities throughout her career. She worked first in residential care, then trained as a social worker. Her work in the area of sexuality began with David Thompson, working on a specialist sex education service. Since 1993, she has worked at the Tizard Centre, University of Kent where she is a Reader in learning disabilities. Her academic and practice-based work involves all matters relating to sexuality, but she has a particular interest in working with women with learning disabilities on issues of sexual abuse, sexual and reproductive health and domestic violence. She has published widely in these fields. This includes a number of resource packs with Pavilion, but also books, academic and professional journals.David Thompson spent almost ten years working directly with people with learning disabilities on sexual issues. This experience informed the development of this package and his PhD. Since then he has had a variety of practice development roles including: support for family carers and people with learning disabilities as they age, advocacy and the Mental Capacity Act (2005). While turning 50 he trained to be a mental health nurse and then worked as the adult safeguarding nursing lead for Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust. During this time he was also vice chair of the Ann Craft Trust: a national charity to protect children and adults with learning disabilities at risk of abuse. He recently relocated to Australia with his civil partner.