No “cookie cutter rules”: best practice for social care staff in supporting autistic adults with relationships and sexuality

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Bates, C. & Matthews, R. (2024). No “cookie cutter rules”: best practice for social care staff in supporting autistic adults with relationships and sexuality. Advances in Autism, 10(2), 69-81. https://doi.org/10.1108/aia-05-2023-0027

Publication date: 15 Apr 2024 Added to AutiHub: 6 Jul 2026 Type: Article Article language: English
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Authors

Publication authors
2
Publication authors identified as autistic
1 / 2 (50.0%)
  1. Claire Bates
  2. Rose Matthews *

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the support needs surrounding intimate relationships and sexuality of autistic adults accessing funded social care in England. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews with 15 autistic adults who were accessing funded social care examined their support needs surrounding intimate relationships and sexuality, with subsequent data analysis using reflexive thematic analysis. Findings Four themes were generated: Help at hand, but not too close for comfort, No “cookie-cutter rules”: personalised, inclusive approaches, Playing it safe, not leaving it too late, and Autism-informed education and support. Practical implications The authors produced an online learning module for social care staff in England on best practice in supporting autistic adults without learning disabilities with relationships and sexuality. Originality/value To the best of the authors' knowledge, there has been no other UK-based research published to date on the social care support needs of autistic adults without learning disabilities surrounding relationships, gender and sexuality.

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Bibliography inclusion overview

These indicators describe the cited bibliography imported for this publication. Cited-reference metrics use the cited-reference total as denominator. Cited-author metrics state whether they use all cited-author occurrences or only occurrences linked to authors already integrated in the AutiHub database. They use cached links between cited authors and authors integrated in the AutiHub database. Last computed: 16 Aug 2026 11:31.

Cited references
42
Total cited references integrated for this publication.
Cited references with an identified autistic author
9 / 42 (21.4%)
Cited author occurrences identified as autistic
10 / 129 (7.8%)
Among occurrences linked to AutiHub author records: 10 / 54 (18.5%). Distinct cited authors identified as autistic: 8 / 113 (7.1%).
Cited author occurrences linked to AutiHub author records
54 / 129 (41.9%)
Distinct linked cited authors: 45 / 113 (39.8%)
Linked cited-author occurrences not identified as autistic
44 / 54 (81.5%)
Among linked cited-author occurrences only. Across all cited-author occurrences: 44 / 129 (34.1%). Distinct linked cited authors not identified as autistic: 37 / 45 (82.2%).
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