Parents & Carers Forums - Puberty, Sexuality & Relationships

FREE forums for parents and carers of children and young people with intellectual disability.

Family Planning NSW (FPNSW) would like to thank all parents and carers who attended the Puberty, Sexuality and Relationship forums throughout 2011. Presenter PowerPoint slides from the Ashfield Forum are now available to download below:

• Debunking myths about sexuality and disability- Nicola Pilkinton
• Puberty, hormones and sex… child to adolescent development- Dr Tania May
• Tips for talking about sexuality and answering tricky questions- Rob Hardy

Feedback from parents or carers who attended forums throughout the year is greatly appreciated and will assist in planning and development of future forums. Please e-mail Alyce regarding any feedback.

Forums coming in 2012:

• Illawara
• North Coast
• Western Sydney

More information will be provided soon regarding upcoming forum dates and locations. New workshops will also be offered in 2012. Email Vanessa to express your interest.

Who should attend?

Parents, foster parents, relatives and other unpaid carers of children / young people with intellectual disability and learning difficulties. Please note these forums are not intended for service providers, refer to our professional education and training calendar for other courses.

What will the forums cover?

• Practical workshops
• Issues around sexuality and disability
• Tips for talking about sex and answering tricky questions
• Preparing for puberty changes
• Books, DVDs and resources
• Expert presenters to answer your questions
• Meet other parents
• Free resource bag

Hear from a range of FPNSW staff and guest speakers experienced in the area of sexuality and disability. Further information about each forum will be available on this page closer to the date.

Want to know more?

For further information, contact:

Vanessa Horn
vanessah@fpnsw.org.au
ph: 02 8752 4388

About the Presenters

Some of our regular speakers at the parent forums are showcased below. Please check the forum program for specific details about speakers in your location.

	Rob Hardy Senior Health Promotion Officer, Family Planning NSW Rob has over 15 years experience working in the area of Occupational Therapy and health promotion with a solid background in disability work. His current role includes building the capacity of disability services to better meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of people with intellectual disability. He strongly believes in the rights of people with disability to experience rich, fulfilling lives and be fully supported in the area of sexuality and relationships.
	Dr Tania May  Senior Medical Officer, Sydney South West Area Health Service / Family Planning NSW Dr May has worked with Family Planning NSW for over 25 years. She also works in developmental paediatrics and with marginalised young people in community health settings. Tania has a Fellowship of the Australian Chapter of Sexual Health Medicine and is a member of the Chapter of Community Child Health in the Royal Australian College of Physicians.
	Nicola Pilkinton Relationships and Sexuality Educator Nicola has over 20 years experience working in disability services in direct care, program administration and policy development in Australia and in the United Kingdom.  Her honours degree in Sociology has given her a strong ability to understand the impact that service systems, government policy and the media have on people’s everyday lived experience.  She has also worked in theatre and dance with people with disability and is passionate about the rights of people with disability to experience and express their sexuality positively.
	Liz Dore Relationships Counsellor and Educator, Relationships and Private Stuff Liz has ten years experience counselling and providing training in relationships and sexuality to people with disability, family members and staff. She has also worked in residential, employment, recreation and legal disability services. Liz has qualifications in Special Education, and in Relationships Counselling that informs her Relationships and Private Stuff work. She is passionate about supporting people with disability to develop friendship and relationship skills and a positive awareness of their sexuality.