If you find it uncomfortable to talk with your child about sexuality and puberty, you’re not alone. Most parents do. However, being comfortable talking about this with your child is so important, as these conversations are critical to your child’s health and safety. They help your child with a disability develop self-care skills, cultivate social skills, gain an understanding of appropriate behaviors, increase personal safety, and work toward becoming a more independent adult. Parents know their children best and are the ones who determine when and what information their child needs regarding sexual health.
PEATC presents two new workshops on sexual health and wellbeing, in collaboration with the Disability-inclusive Sexual Health Network. One is designed for parents of students with disabilities, and the other is designed for youth (aged 14-22) who have disabilities. See the details below, and stay tuned for more workshops like these!
UPCOMING SEXUAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS WORKSHOPS:
Sexual Health and Wellness Virtual Trainings for YOUTH With Disabilities
Session Dates (each session is from 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM):
- August 1: Consent and Body Rights – REGISTER HERE
- August 8: Get Away and Tell – REGISTER HERE
- August 15: Public and Private – REGISTER HERE
- August 22: Social Media and Online Safety – REGISTER HERE
- August 29: Safe and Healthy Boundaries – REGISTER HERE
Individuals under age 18 will need to be registered by a parent or guardian.
PEATC has developed a toolkit to help guide parents through this process of discussing Sexual Health and Wellness with their child.
The toolkit covers topics such as sexuality, self-care, relationships, social skills, and boundaries.
View the Spanish version here.
– Example Social Stories
– Self Care/Life Skills Activities
– Journey to Adulthood Presentation
– PEATC’s Life Skills Checklist
– Mad Hatter Wellness YouTube Videos
– Sex Ed for People with I/DD YouTube Videos
– PAAutism Relationship Social Stories
– Online Resources for Sex Ed for Self-Advocates (includes accurate body part labels)
– SexEdVA
– Teaching Sexual Health: Responding to Student Questions
– Maine Family Planning: Answering Student Questions
– Sex Ed Resources
– LGBTQ+ Youth with Disabilities (PEATC Fact Sheet)