The paper presents a study aimed at addressing the issue of parental perceptions of the sexuality of their sons with intellectual disabilities (ID). The key question is: "What parenting experiences and ideas can form a starting point from which to implement a training program on affectivity-sexuality involving the educational figures who care for youth with intellectual disabilities?"

According Lunsky and Konstantareas (1998), the frames of mind related to sexuality affect the physical, mental and social development of a person. Sexuality defines how individuals interact with each other, what kind of relationship develops, how love and affection are manifested, and how a person experiences their body.
In the case of children and youth with ID, still too often sexuality is formed from inadequate information and unpleasant experiences (Owen et al. 2000). Not only that, in the absence of adequate educational support, these people are likely to frequently exhibit inappropriate sexual behavior, such as recourse to masturbation or obsessive exhibitionistic attitudes (Walsh 2000).

The parental role in the identity construction of a son with ID is essential (Visentin, Strobbe 2014), but as shown by various studies (Isler et al. 2009), the sexuality of their child sets off a series of stresses and fears in the parents, such as:

• the need to come to terms with the child’s sexuality;
• the fear that talking about sex with their sons can encourage them to experiment;
• the perception of not being sufficiently informed to be able to handle the discussion properly;
• the idea that masturbation is a perversion related to their son’s disability (Tarnai 2006);
• fears related to complex issues such as sexual abuse (Gurol et al. 2014).

So, sex education should be thought of as a complex project:

• aimed at youth with disabilities, to increase their ability to make choices which are appropriate and responsible, based on knowledge and aimed at personal well-being;
• designed for parents as an opportunity to learn, increase their awareness, and possibly meet with others in a context of mutual self-help (Swango-Wilson 2008).

Directing this perspective is the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006), which encourages the implementation of measures that support the education and protection of human sexuality also for disabled students.

In the Italian context, even though we are right at the forefront of school inclusion for students with disabilities (Law 517 / '77), it is only in recent years that the issue of the sexuality of disabled people is starting to be addressed and that more and more professionals working in residential services for young people with ID assert the need to promote research and intervention to address this delicate issue, in collaboration with families (Veglia 2000).

Our research project has two main objectives:

• to collect parental perceptions on the theme of the affectivity-sexuality of their sons, by checking whether and how they tackle this topic when bringing up their sons;
• to establish a shared way forward among all stakeholders (youth with disabilities, professionals, families) in order to propose and put into action an educational programme aimed at improving the skills and empowerment of all participants on the subject of sexuality.

The research questions can be stated as follows:

• What factors affect the parental conception of the sexuality of their sons?
• As well as parents, what other people are involved in the sex education of the young people?

What kind of support have parents thus far been given with the sexual education of their sons, on the part of health and social services?

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