These resources listed are to help parents increase confidence and skills to support their children and answer their questions. Some parents may choose to show their children resources on this list which is why it’s important that parents and carers check before sharing them with their child. These resources are not offered as education for children. You need to make sure that the resources suit your comfort level, your values and your individual family setting. While the resources listed here include a variety of topics, and match some of the diverse needs of different families, they do not necessarily reflect the topics we cover in primary school year levels.
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For parents
For parents
Before sharing any resources with your child or young person
Books
Body Safety Education: A Parents’ Guide to Protecting Kids from Sexual Abuse, Jayneen Sanders
Boys & Sex: Young Men on Hookups, Love, Porn, Consent, & Navigating the New Masculinity, Peggy Orenstein
Dating and Sex: A Guide for the 21st Century Teen Boy, by Andrew Irwin-Smiler PhD
Everything You Never Wanted Your Kids to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid They’d Ask): The secrets to surviving your child’s sexual development from birth to the teens, J Richardson & M Schuster
For Goodness Sex: Changing the Way we Talk to Teens About Sexuality, Values & Health, Al Vernacchio
Girls & Sex: Navigating the Complicated New Landscape, Peggy Orenstein
How to Talk with Your Kids About Porn, Dr Jane Cherrington
Kids, Sex & Screens, Jillian Roberts
Legitimate Sexpectations: The Power of Sex-Ed, Katrina Marson
No Shame: Real Talk with Your Kids About Sex, Self-confidence & Healthy Relationships, Dr Lea Lis
Raising Sexually Intelligent Kids: Practical Skills for Parents, Carers and Educators, Anisa Varasteh
Sex, Teens and Everything in Between, Shafia Zaloom
Talking Sex: A Conversation Guide for Parents, Vanessa Hamilton
The New Puberty, Amanda Dunn
The Secret Lives of Teen Girls: What Your Mother Wouldn’t Talk About but Your Daughter Needs to Know, Evelyn Resh
Downloadable resources
Talk Soon Talk Often: a Guide for Parents for Talking to Their Kids About Sex, Western Australia Department of Health, PDF document, online
Victoria police fact sheet (‘Challenging misconceptions about sexual offending)
Websites
1800respect.org.au (national sexual assault counselling service)
Better Health (sexual health & relationships, parenting)
Bullying in the Workplace (info for parents with working teens & older children)
Culture Reframed (parents’ program)
eSafety Commissioner (image-based abuse or cyber bullying)
eSmart (Alannah & Madeline Foundation)
familyzone.com.au (filter products, help service/desk)
Freedom (app that blocks internet)
It’s Time We Talked (pornography)
kidshelpline.com.au (general help)
National Centre Against Bullying
Minus18 (support for LGBTQI+ young people)
Melbourne Sexual Health Centre (sexual health)
National Centre Against Bullying
Officer Gomez (Facebook parenting page)
Orange Door (family violence support and extra help for children and families)
Planned Parenthood (‘Tips for Talking to Your Kids About Sex & Relationships’)
Protecting Your Family Online (Australian Cyber Security Centre)
raisingchildren.net.au (parenting)
Reach Out (general support and mental health for young people)
sacl.com.au (sexual assault crisis line)
scarleteen.com (sexual health & relationships)
secasa.com.au & casahouse.com.au (centres against sexual assault)
Sexual Health Victoria (sexual health)
The Line (dating, relationships, masculinity, sex)
tuneinnotout.com (general support & info for young people)
Podcasts
Ask Lisa: The psychology of Parenting, Dr Lisa Damour
Become an Askable Parent with Amaze, Amaze
Doing it, Sexual Health Victoria
Just Say This, Amy Lang
Mighty Parenting: Real Raw & Relevant Talk About Raising Teens and Parenting Young Adults, Sandy Fowler
Parental as Anything, Maggie Dent
THAT Sex Ed Podcast, Jenny Ackland & Justine Kiely-Scott (Sex Education Australia founders)
The Puberty Podcast, Dr Cara Natterson & Vanessa Kroll Bennett
The Puberty Prof, Lori Reichel
General support services
1800respect.org.au (1800 737 732 National Helpline)
KidsHelpline (1800 55 1800)
Lifeline (24-hour Crisis Line 131 114 / TEXT service: 0477 13 11 14)
Men’s Referral Service (1300 766 491 for anger issues, relationships, parenting, support for women/family members experiencing male violence)
Minus18 (support for LGBTQIA+ community)
QLife (anonymous and free LGBTQIA+ peer support)
Rainbow Door (free LGBTQIA+ helpline for info, support & referral to all LGBTQIA+ Victorians, their friends and family)
ReachOut.com (help and advice for young people across a range of issues)
Safe Steps Family Violence Response Centre (1800 015 188 Safe Steps Crisis Line (Vic))
Scarleteen.com (‘Sex education for the real world’)
Sexual Assault Crisis Line (1800 806 292 Sexual Assault Crisis Line Victoria)
Sexual Heath Victoria (sexual health information)
The Line (all about relationships)
Further reading
Please take care when you read this information, it may be upsetting for some.
Fact sheet from Victoria Police (‘Challenging the misconceptions about sexual offending’)
Grooming – Know the warning signs (RAIIN)
Love is Respect (What is sexual coercion?)
Teach Us Consent (Australian petition about sexual assault, organised by Chanel Contos)
What is love bombing: 12 signs in a new relationship (article)
What is sexual harassment (Reachout.com)
What does sexual coercion look like? (article)
