Many parents and carers feel uncomfortable or unsure about talking with their children about Sex. But there is support available for discussing sex and relationships with your family.

 The Talk 2 website, below, should give you some useful tips on how to respond to those awkward questions that children often ask! 

Sex education shouldn’t be a one-off talk but a gradual process of communication, starting when a child is small and continuing until they are adults. If your children grow up knowing that you are comfortable talking about sex and relationships it is likely that they will come to you for support when they need it.

The Talk 2 website has pages about all age groups from toddlers to teenagers. The Talk 2 initiative covers the Glasgow City Council/NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

www.talk2glasgow.com - supporting parents to talk to their children about growing up, relationships and sexual health. 

Parents Enquiry Scotland is a voluntary organisation offering helplines run by a group of parents of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and transgender children.  They provide help, information and support for parents and families of LGBT children.

Lothian:          Anne 0131 556 6047
Strathclyde    Pat 0141 427 3897

NHS Health Scotland have produced some information booklets on 'How to Talk to your Child' and 'How to talk to your teenager' about sexual health and relationships to view either of these booklets please go to the following links:

http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/1138.aspx - How to Talk to your Child

http://www.healthscotland.com/documents/1141.aspx - How to Talk to your Teenager

Speakeasy - courses for Parents and Carers

Speakeasy is a fun and relaxed course that helps parents and carers build on what they already know about sex and relationships.  It offers the opportunity to learn together using their own experiences.  Courses are delivered by skilled Family Planning Associatiion (fpa) trainers in small and friendly groups.

• Everyone is welcome to join in - mum, dad or anyone who is caring for a child
• Everyone gets involved - talking, listening and sharing ideas and information
• The sessions are fun and varied to give the opportunity to learn in many different ways
• Courses can be adapted to suit the needs of different groups, including those whose first language isn't English.

Why is it important to talk to children about sex and relationships?

Lots of people think that sex and relationships education encourages young people to experiment with sex but research has shown it has quite the opposite effect.  Good sex and relationships education can:

• Raise the age young people try out sexual activity
• Cut the rate of teenage pregnancies
• Lower the rate of Sexually Transmitted Infections

How can Speakeasy help?

• Will help parents and carers to feel more confident talking to children about sex, relationships, growing up, using words they understand and are comfortable using
• Will encourage an understanding of the way children pick up messages about sex from the media, their friends and the world around them
• Will help parents and carers to brush up on what they already know about body changes that children experience
• Will give information about Contraception
• Will explain what children are being taught in school on this topic
• Will help parents and carers to support their children and keep them safe

The Speakeasy Course is accredited.  This means that parents and carers who choose this can gain an award which could help them go onto further education or employment.  There is no exam and all the work is done during the course.  There is also the opportunity for parents to train as a peer educator.  Participants are welcome wether they go for accreditation or not.

Further information and details of courses running in Lanarkshire can be obtained from : Joyce Innes, Speakeasy Project Officer, Unit 10, Firhill Business Centre, 76 Firhill Road, Glasgow, G20 7BA.  Tel:  0141 948 1175 or 0750 135 1803.