Hi !
I’m Sue
- I live in Lancashire
- I have worked in Social Care for over 50 years
- I now do lots of training alongside self- advocates
- Most of the training is about friendship, relationships and sex
- I also give people advice about how to support relationships needs
Training and Consultancy is a company created by Sue Sharples, an experienced trainer, Social Worker and service manager in the field of social care and learning disability. Sue has built on her expertise in supporting relationships work by undertaking accredited Staffordshire University and Family Planning Association courses, which have equipped her with the knowledge and skill to deliver sensitive, person centred, specialist relationships and sexual health courses. Sue often works with self-advocate co-trainers.
Through her close involvement with the national Supported Loving network (https://www.choicesupport.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/supported-loving) Sue has contributed to the CQC Guidance on relationships and sexuality in social care (www.cqc.org.uk/20190221-Relationships-and-sexuality-in-social-care ) and Skills for Care’s Supporting Personal Relationships Guide (www.skillsforcare.org.uk)
In Lancashire, she is the Co-Chair of the Friends and Relationships sub group of the Learning Disability Partnership Board and a member of the Partnership Board, working closely with other agencies and self- advocates to improve opportunities for relationships to thrive in the county.
Churchill Fellowship
In 2019 Sue was awarded a Winston Churchill Fellowship, which enabled her to travel to the USA and Canada to explore sexual self advocacy and sexual harm prevention for people with a learning disability. She now incorporates her learning into her training approaches and one to one developmental work, with a particular emphasis on trauma informed sex and relationships education.
A copy of Sue’s Churchill Fellowship report can be found here:
https://www.wcmt.org.uk/users/susansharples2019
This is a blog written during the journey:
And here is an article from Community Living magazine about the Fellowship experience:
https://www.cl-initiatives.co.uk/lets-talk-about-sex-and-staying-safe/
Recent Work
Sue has worked with local authorities, health trusts and provider organisations across the North West and nationally, providing advice, information and training. The ‘Y be Shy’, ‘Y be a Trainer’ and ‘Y be Safe’ inclusive training format was delivered to multiagency groups in Lancashire from 2016 to the present. A series of ‘Y be positive about sexual health’ events have also been provided for staff, alongside training on dating and safe relationships for self- advocates. Sue has also delivered one to one education sessions, undertaken capacity assessments and contributed to practice development.
During the Covid 19 lockdown, she adapted the training programs for delivery online, continuing to work with provider agencies and people with learning disability and/or autism. In the last months she has also designed specialist courses for Social Workers and Community Health Teams.
