Sexuality and sex education for children with developmental disabilities: Attitudes and concerns of parents in the Accra Metropolis of Ghana

Sexuality and sex education are basic human rights. However, individuals with developmental disabilities (DD) often lack the knowledge and skills regarding their sexuality due to negative attitudes of significant others around them. This study explored the attitudes and concerns of parents regarding sexuality and sex education of their children with DD. Eleven (11) parents living in Accra participated in in-depth interviews utilized for this qualitative investigation. The children of these participants were aged 10-18 years. Thematic analysis of the data revealed five main themes: (1) Hinderances to sex education; (2) Parental Concerns; (3) Child agency in sexuality; (4) Proper sex education needs; and (5) Hopes for future love relationships. Results indicated that in general, parents did not provide sex education for their children due to the perceived cognitive ability of their children to comprehend issues of sexuality. Secondly, access to resources that match their children's cognitive ability are not available to parents. Nonetheless, parents were concerned about their children being sexually abused and hoped for a better family life for them in the future. Findings are further discussed in the context of implications to inform policy, guidance, and appropriate sexual education for parents, society, and schools working with children with DD.