VOLUME 7 - ISSUE 5 November 2009

HIGHLIGHTS

• New Research Report on Parent Child Communication about Relationships and Sex Launched
• CURA Launches a New Post Natal Support Service for Parents
• Commencement of Third Year of Certificate Training Course in Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Skills
• 'The Facts' – A Sex Education Resource
• Information for Young Parents in Education (2009 Edition)

New Research Report on Parent Child Communication about Relationships and Sex Launched

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency has published a new research report, the first in an Irish context, examining parents' approaches to educating their pre-adolescent and adolescent children about sexuality. It is the Agency's 30th research report since its establishment in 2001.

 

The report, entitled "Parents' approaches to educating their pre-adolescent and adolescent children about sexuality", was authored by Dr. Abbey Hyde, Professor Marie Carney, Dr. Jonathan Drennan, Dr. Michelle Butler, and Dr. Etaoine Howlett of University College Dublin and Dr. Maria Lohan of Queens University Belfast.

 

This study attempted to understand, through analysis of interview data, how parents communicate on the topic of relationships and sexuality with their pre-adolescent and adolescent children. A total of 43 parents were involved in the study, 32 mothers and 11 fathers.

 

Parents reported that often younger children came to them with questions but parents were reluctant to discuss sexual matters, particularly about sexual intercourse, with them for fear of compromising their innocence. While parents didn't always respond fully to questions from their younger children, they reported attempting to raise sexual issues with their teenage children. However these attempts were often blocked by the young people who were reluctant to talk about the topic.

 

While many parents reported that they were 'open' about discussing issues of sexuality in the home, participants who felt that schools and parents need to take a shared responsibility for sexuality education were often found to deliver similar messages and information to those who felt that they did not need to undertake much sexuality education. Some parents reported talking about sexual matters at a superficial level. However, it is important to note that they did tend to invite their children to raise issues with them, leaving the onus on the young person to initiate the discussion. Issues such as contraception were often not covered because parents believed that their adolescent was not sexually active, was not romantically involved or had acquired adequate information at school. Even those who believed that sexuality education was the responsibility of both parents and the school tended to rely heavily on the school to deliver that education.

 

Launching the report, Director of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Caroline Spillane said: "It's important that parents start communicating with children at an early age about relationships and sex, delivering age-appropriate and accurate information to create an environment where children will feel comfortable in discussing the subject as they get older. Parents are best placed to judge precisely what information is appropriate for their children at various stages in their lives. The Agency has created a number of resources to help parents feel comfortable and confident in leading a conversation about relationships and avoid a situation where they are reacting to teenagers' behaviour as they get older."

 

The Agency has developed a number of resources to assist parents in providing age appropriate information to their children on relationships and sex:

 

•  'Busy Bodies' – resource for parents of 10 to 14 year olds – parents can order a copy by freetexting BUSY followed by their name and address to 50444.

•  'You Can Talk to Me' – resource for parents of 11 to 15 year olds – parents can order a copy by freetexting PARENT followed by their name and address to 50444.

•  'Parents, Make the Time to Talk' – resource for parents of 15 to 17 year olds – parents can order a copy by freetexting TALK followed by their name and address to 50444.

•  'The Facts' DVD – resource for parents of 15 to 17 year olds – contains information on fertility, contraception, STIs and crisis pregnancy, as well as a condom demonstration. Parents can order a copy by freetexting FACTS followed by their name and address to 50444.

 

To read more, click here.

 

To view resources to assist parents in providing age appropriate information to their children on relationships and sex, click here.

 

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CURA Launches a New Post Natal Support Service for Parents

CURA recently launched a new post-natal support service at three of its centres, in Cork, Galway and Tralee, Co. Kerry. This service, which is being funded on a pilot basis by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, aims to provide a support programme for parents of new babies and, in particular, young mothers availing of crisis pregnancy counselling services provided by CURA. This extended counselling and support service will be available to parents who may be feeling overwhelmed or isolated in their new role.

 

This is one of a number of new projects supported under the Agency's 2007 funding call. The project has three stages, the first of which commenced in 2008, with the development of a training module for CURA volunteers that covers areas such as child development and listening skills. The service is now being piloted in CURA centres in Cork, Galway and Kerry, and, subject to the results of an independent evaluation, will be rolled out across other CURA centres around the country.

 

The aim is to provide additional training to current volunteers who work with CURA, to enable them to provide post natal support to parents, including:

 

•  supporting new young parents in their role as parents;

•  ensuring that new young parents are equipped with the practical information that they need to support them in their role as new parents; and

•  linking new young parents with other local services and programmes, including parenting courses, young mothers' support groups, personal development programmes, counselling services, Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), career guidance services, and further education and training.

For further information on this pilot service, please contact Louise Graham, National Coordinator, CURA, on 01 505 3040, or contact the individual centres directly on the following numbers: Cork centre, 021 427 7544; Galway centre, 091 562 558; or Kerry centre, 066 712 7355.

 

 

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Commencement of Third Year of Certificate Training Course in Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Skills

The National University of Ireland, Maynooth, in partnership with the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, has commenced delivery of the third year of the certificate level training course in crisis pregnancy counselling skills. The aim of the course is to work collectively to achieve standards of good practice in crisis pregnancy counselling and to upskill accredited counsellors and trained volunteers working in the area.

 

This training course, which is being delivered in Cork City, is geared towards crisis pregnancy counsellors working in services funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, and will be delivered to accredited counsellors/social workers and specifically trained volunteers over the 2009 2010 academic year. Forty-six (46) counsellors/social workers currently working in Crisis Pregnancy Agency funded counselling services have completed the certificate level course to date. A further 17 participants have registered to participate in the third year of the course. At this juncture, the majority of the 14 services funded by the Agency have had representatives of their organisations participate in the year long part part-time course. The course commenced in October 2009 and is due to run until April 2010.

 

The Agency, in partnership with NUI, Maynooth, is also planning the development and delivery of alumni seminars for graduates of the first two years of the course, in addition to developing master classes for other professionals working in the field. A graduation ceremony for those who successfully completed the course in 2009 was held on 10 November in NUI, Maynooth.

 

If you require any further information on this course, please contact the Agency's Funding Officer on 01 814 6292.

 

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'The Facts' – A Sex Education Resource

The Crisis Pregnancy Agency developed 'The Facts' DVD in collaboration with the Health Service Executive (HSE). This DVD has been produced to help teachers, parents and youth workers to provide sex education to young people. It contains information on fertility, methods of contraception (including a condom demonstration), crisis pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

 

The DVD can be used as part of the Relationships and Sexuality Education Programme in schools or as part of a sex education programme delivered in a youth work setting. It can also be used at home by parents who are teaching their children about relationships and sex.

 

By ensuring that young people have comprehensive sexuality education, age appropriate information and open channels of communication, it is possible to equip them with the knowledge, skills and attitudes that they need to make informed choices now and in the future. To order a copy of 'The Facts' DVD, freetext FACTS followed by your name and address to 50444.

 

To view footage from 'The Facts' DVD, click here.

 

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Crisis Pregnancy Agency, 4th Floor, 89 - 94 Capel Street, Dublin 1
T: +353 1 814 6292 | F: +353 1 814 6282 | E: info@crisispregnancy.ie

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