SHPER
The Project
We are interested in knowing more about parents’ and carers’ experience in talking about these topics with their partners, friends and health care providers and how comfortable they are talking sex and relationships with their school-aged children and teenagers.
The aim is to learn more about ways to support parents and carers to talk to their children and teenagers about sex, relationships and sexual health.
If you are the parent or carer of a school aged child (aged 5-18 years), we invite you to complete an anonymous online survey containing questions about sexual literacy, sexual health, and relationships. It will take approximately 30 minutes of your time.
To participate in the survey, please click this link!
FAQs
Who can participate?
We are looking to survey people who
• Reside in Australia;
• Are aged over 18 years
• Are the parent or carer of a school aged dependent (aged 5-18)
What will I be asked to do?
If you want to take part in this study, we will ask you to complete a short survey containing questions about topics of sexual literacy, wellbeing, and relationships. It will take approximately 20 minutes of your time to be part of this study.
What if I change my mind?
If you no longer want to complete the questionnaire, simply close the web browser. If you change your mind after clicking on the ‘Submit’ button, we cannot withdraw your responses because we cannot link who you are with your questionnaire responses.
Your decision to withdraw at any point will not affect your relationship with La Trobe University or any other organisation listed.
Who is running this project?
This research is conducted by Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University.
It has been funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and granted human research ethics approval from the La Trobe University Ethics Committee (HEC22373).
Will I hear about the results of the study?
It is anticipated that the results of this research project will be published and/or presented in a variety of forums. In any publication and/or presentation, information will be provided in such a way that the participant cannot be identified, except with your permission. Participation in this online survey is anonymous.
I have more questions
If you have any further questions about the study, or would like more information, email Dr Jennifer Power (jennifer.power@latrobe.edu.au).
More about the project!
This study investigates the ways that parents and carers of school aged children understand topics of sexual literacy, wellbeing and relationships.
We aim to advance the goals of the Fourth National Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2018-2022 to reduce STI incidence and improve sexual health outcomes among young people in Australia by establishing an evidence base to:
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enhance capacity for parents/carers, community workers and teachers to proactively and effectively engage with sexual health promotion and education with young people across multiple sectors and settings.
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build a multi-sector and multi-setting (integrated) approach to sexual health promotion and education that facilitates partnerships between parents/carers, community services and schools.
We hope to learn how parents and carers feel able to talk to their partners, friends, healthcare providers, counsellors or other professionals, and their children about topics of sex and relationships. The aim to: explore how parent’s and carer’s class, gender and sexuality shape sexual literacy and experiences of sex and relationships; and, to identify support needs of parents and carer’s with respect to sexual literacy and supporting their children’s relationship and sexuality education.
This study is focused on parents, carers and families who reside in lower income areas of Victoria. Much of the research on the sexual health education needs of parents and children is focused on well-resourced inner city or inner suburban areas. This research aims to build on existing research by focusing on areas where school and communities may have fewer resources or less engagement with sexual health services.
This research is conducted by Australian Research Centre in Sex, Health and Society at La Trobe University and forms one part of a larger project that looks to build an integrated approach to supporting sexual health promotion and education among young people. The researchers conducting the large scale project are: Associate Professor Jennifer Power, Professor Adam Bourne, Professor Suzanne Fraser, Associate Professor Christopher Fisher, Dr Andrea Waling, Dr Adrian Farrugia. The research team assisting on this project are Dr Alexandra James, Dr Thomas Norman, and Jack Thepsourinthone. The project has been funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and human research ethics approval from the La Trobe University Ethics Committee has been granted for us to undertake research with parents and carers of school aged children (HEC23221).