RecruitingObservational

Intimate lives matter: sex, relationships and the Care Act

This project, called 'Intimate lives matter: sex, relationships and the Care Act,' wants to help social workers better support autistic people and those with learning disabilities in forming relationships. Many people in these groups often feel lonely and struggle to find safe ways to meet partners or get the right support. Currently, social workers don't often discuss these needs during care assessments. This study will involve talking to social workers, autistic people, and those with learning disabilities to create new guidance, tools, and training. The goal is to make sure social workers feel confident asking about sex and relationships, ensuring everyone gets the support they need to build happy and safe intimate lives, as allowed by law.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Manchester Metropolitan University

Enrolment target

140

Start

01 Dec 2025

Estimated completion

30 Nov 2026

Support for autistic people and people with learning disabilities around sex and relationships

What is this study about?

This study is called 'Intimate lives matter: sex, relationships and the Care Act.' It’s all about making sure that autistic people and people with learning disabilities get the right support for their relationships, whether they are romantic or sexual. The law says that everyone should get help with this if they need it, but sometimes social workers, who are there to assess people's needs, don't always ask about these very personal parts of life.

The research has shown that many autistic people and people with learning disabilities want partners for love, company, and to share their lives with. However, they often feel lonely because they don't have enough information, support, or opportunities to meet people safely and form relationships. This study aims to change that by helping social workers feel more prepared and comfortable discussing these topics during care assessments.

To do this, the study team will talk to social workers about their experiences and what would help them. They will also work with autistic people and people with learning disabilities to create checklists and guidance for social workers. All of this information will then be used to create online training and gather good examples from councils that are already doing well in supporting people's relationships. The overall goal is to improve the support available, reduce loneliness, and help people have happier, safer intimate lives.

Key takeaways

This study aims to improve relationship support for autistic people and those with learning disabilities.
It will help social workers confidently discuss sex and relationships during care assessments.
The study involves talking to social workers, and autistic people/people with learning disabilities.
New training and guidance will be created to help social workers.
Participants will be paid for their time if they take part.
The goal is to reduce loneliness and improve safety in relationships.

Who may be eligible?

This study has different parts, and depending on who you are, you might be able to take part in some of them.

If you are a social worker, you could be involved if you live in England and have done adult care assessments (called Care Act assessments) at any time in the last five years. You might be asked to take part in interviews or group discussions, or to try out new training and fill in a survey about it.

If you are an autistic person or a person with learning disabilities, you could be involved if you are 18 years old or older and live in England. You might be asked to join workshops to help create new guidance and tools. There are also specific opportunities for staff, autistic people, and people with learning disabilities who are already connected to places that are known for offering really good support in this area.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you a social worker who has done Care Act assessments in England in the last 5 years?
Are you an autistic person or a person with learning disabilities, aged 18 or over?
Do you live in England?
Are you interested in improving support for relationships?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study involves a few different activities, depending on whether you're a social worker or an autistic person/person with learning disabilities. For social workers, you might be invited to interviews or focus groups (group discussions) to share your experiences; these would be online and you'd know the length beforehand. Later, you could take part in online training and complete a survey about it. If you're an autistic person or a person with learning disabilities, you might be asked to attend workshops to help create new tools and guidance. All meetings for participants will be set up at times that work best for everyone, and all participants will be paid for their time. You will always know how much time is needed for each part of the study. The study itself runs from December 2025 to February 2027.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could have some benefits for others: the training and resources created will aim to improve support around sex and relationships for autistic people and people with learning disabilities. You will also be paid for your time if you participate. There are a few small risks to be aware of: you will need to offer some of your time, but meetings will be scheduled to be convenient, and you'll know how long they will last. Talking about sex and relationships can sometimes feel a bit uncomfortable, but you'll be able to take breaks whenever you need to. Importantly, you can choose to stop taking part at any time. If you mention anything that suggests you or someone else is at risk of harm, the study team will need to follow safeguarding procedures to keep everyone safe, and they will explain when they cannot keep things completely private.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

Manchester Metropolitan University
Unverified
Manchester, England

Common questions

What is a 'Care Act assessment'?

A Care Act assessment is when a social worker looks at what support an adult needs to live their life well, and how they can get that support.

What does 'intimate relationships' mean in this study?

It means close relationships with people who are not family, which can be romantic, sexual, or both.

Will I have to talk about my own relationships if I take part?

The study aims to understand experiences and gather ideas. While you might discuss general topics, you can share only what you feel comfortable with, and you can stop at any time.

When will the results of this study be available?

The study is expected to run from December 2025 to February 2027, so results would likely be shared after that time, through online training, reports, and websites.

Who is paying for this research?

The study is funded by the NIHR Research Programme for Social Care, which is a UK organisation that supports health and social care research.

How to find out more

Monique Huysamen

m.huysamen@mmu.ac.uk +44 (0)161 247 2646 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.