Sensitive Issues in PDHPE Sexual Health & Personal Safety (Child Protection) Education

1. Sensitive Issues in PDHPE Sexual Health & Personal Safety (Child Protection) Education Parent Meeting Developed by the Catholic Education Offices of: Sydney, Broken Bay and Wollongong

2. The Catholic Dimension Why teach PDHPE and the sensitive issues? What is in the PDHPE curriculum/program? Parenting tips Plenary Overview Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

3. Prayer God of Life and Love, From the beginning you knew it is not good for us to be alone. You created us in relationship, male and female, in your loving image. Through this gathering, help us to appreciate the wonder of your love, and to treasure the gift of sexuality which you have given us. We ask this through Jesus, our friend and guide, who abides in your love forever and ever. Amen Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

4. The Catholic Dimension From the Catholic perspective, it is the parents who have the prime responsibility of educating their children in human sexuality. Although this responsibility can never be entirely delegated, teachers in Catholic schools assist parents with this vitally important task, which already has a place in the general curriculum. Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource In all its moral decision-making, the Catholic Church draws on scripture, tradition and the natural law

5. Moral Principles • For Catholics, education in human sexuality touches the most sacred aspects of reality • healthy growth to maturity • the development of loving relationships that contribute to this • the creation of human life. • Towards Wholeness (CEC Document) - outlines concepts and identifies values that will help students to understand and deal with major personal and social issues, thus providing a foundation for lifelong responsible decision making. • In doing this, it seeks to help the students to live according to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

6. Each person is created and loved by God and thus has inherent dignity. Allhuman life is sacred. Individuals are unique, with each person challenged to share in God’s creative work. Human beings are essentially social, finding their identity in relationships and community. Sexuality is a sacred gift that needs to be understood and respected. We appreciate and respect our bodies and the bodies of others. Authentic human sexuality is the integration of the physical, relational and spiritual aspects and is to be valued as a significant determining factor in shaping our personality. Catholic values & beliefs • The values we hold and the morals we live by form the basis of our decision making! Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

7. The PDHPE Curriculum • In NSW, Catholic schools follow the Board of Studies curriculum which includes primary and secondary syllabuses in Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE). What is the aim of PDHPE? • To develop in each student the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to understand, value and lead healthy, active and fulfilling lives. In so doing, the syllabus will form the basis for students to adopt a responsible and productive role in society. Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

8. Parent Activity What is taught in PDHPE? (Handout PDHPE syllabus p. 9) • Identify what concepts relate to child protection and sexual health education? Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

9. Keep confidential what others say in class Respect: people’s privacy by not expecting them to share experiences & use personal names Respect others’ feelings e.g. the right to pass for student & teacher what others say without judgement or criticism Everyone has a right to speak - no put downs and speak one at a time Use respectful and inclusive language Each person is responsible for their own behaviour Confidentiality Respect for self and others Right to pass or the right to speak Responsibility Setting the classroom ground rules Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

10. Assists students to develop skills in: recognising and responding to unsafe situations seeking assistance effectively establishing and maintaining non-coercive relationships and strengthening attitudes and values related to equality, respect and responsibility. It is important that students learn about: feeling safe and their right to be safe Recognising abuse Power in relationships Protective strategies What is Child Protection Education? Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

11. Years 3 – 4 The Body Rates and stages of growth and development Heredity Human Sexuality Male/female characteristics Changes related to puberty Changes Physical body changes - feelings about changes Changing friendships and relationships Years 5 – 6 The Body Body systems - functions - interrelationships Human Sexuality Changes at puberty - menstruation Reproductive process Responsibility in sexual relationships STIs, HIV/AIDS, blood-borne viruses Changes Identify changes - physical, social, emotional Methods of coping with change - activity, relaxation, stress management Grief and loss Dealing with emotions Human Sexuality in the K-6 PDHPE Syllabus Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

12. Why teach sexualhealth in years 5-6? Boys and girls are: • reaching puberty at an earlier age • information rich but skills poor – both online and offline they are exposed to more information and potential risks. It is important to provide children with accurate values-based information

13. Sample Child Protection Unit Yr 6 What are positive relationships? How can power be used responsibly? How can boys and girls use power? How can I keep my relationships safe? How should I respond to coercion? What is bullying and how do I end unsafe relationships? What is abuse? How do I recognise sexual abuse? How do I identify and respond to risky situations? How do I create personal safety plans? Sample Sexual Health Education Unit Yr 5 How am I similar and different to others? What are my strengths and achievements? What factors impact on my body image? How do I feel in different situations? How does my body grow and change? What happened before I was born? How does puberty begin? What’s happening for the boys and the girls? How do I cope with physical change? Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

14. What does a typical lesson look like? Suggested Learning Experiences In pairs, create a definition for the term, self-esteem. Share these definitions with two other pairs. Teacher brings the students to the understanding that self-esteem means how we feel about ourselves. Explain that this might mean how you feel about yourself as a student, friend or child and whether you think others like you and how you feel about your ability to manage life. Use the analogy that self esteem is like a cup of water and that sometimes it is full (high self-esteem) and sometimes it is low (poor self-esteem). Discuss what things can fill our cup or empty our cup? List people and events that may influence the development of self-esteem, eg, friends, family, life changes (milestones), loss, relocation. How do good relationships help your self-esteem? What makes a good relationship? How can good relationships help people cope with issues? TW: Teacher revises the belief that God created us in His image and likeness and therefore His love for us is unconditional. In small groups, identify ways God’s unconditional love may influence their self-esteem? (Eg, God forgives us when we make wrong choices and therefore we can always start over again, our physical appearance has no bearing on how much God loves us.) • An overview of some of the teaching and learning activities • Handout sample lesson from units • View a snapshot of the DVD to be used in class Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

15. Parenting Today There is no such thing as the perfect family! “…There is no such thing as a perfect parent.” John Cheetham Consultant Psychologist But we need to be as informed as possible so we make less mistakes along the way… Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

16. Be an ‘askable’ parent Avoid lengthy lectures, use humour -keep it simple and use the teachable moments like when in the: Car Watching TV Sharing a meal Washing up Out fishing Walking the dog Check to see if the answers are understood, give time for the child to ask more questions Practice decision-making skills with your child: What would you do if.... How they feel about…. Include values – in our family we believe ...! Don’t be afraid to say ‘I don’t know, but let’s find out together’. Parents - be risk takers! Some tips for parents Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

17. The Challenge for Catholic Educators & Parents It is our combined role • to assist children to examine their personal experiences in light of the Church’s teachings in order to make informed decisions • To challenge children to act and respond as Christians in their personal worlds of family, peer group, school and faith communities. Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

18. Where can I find out more? There a many books available in most book stores related to these topics. However parents should look before they buy! Some books maybe appropriate for some children/families but maynot suit others. One suggestion Things are Changing DVD and parent book for a son or daughter This DVD can be purchased from Choicez Media • http://www.choicez.com.au/products_puberty.shtml Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

19. Explore these websites with your child Johnson and Johnsonhttp://www.itsmybody.com.au/ Kids Health http://kidshealth.org/kid/grow/ NSW Department of Education and Training http://www.curriculumsupport.education.nsw.gov.au/primary/pdhpe/index.htm BBChttp://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/lifecycle/teenagers/ Lil-Lets Girls http://www.lil-lets.co.uk/girls/ Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

20. Any Questions? Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

21. Additional slides providing simple explanations for specific teachings of the CatholicChurch related to sexual health Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

22. Contraception • Contraception in any form prevents the possibility of procreation, and therefore is not approved by the Catholic Church. • Its use could possibly lead to a sense that human life is of no value. • The Catholic Church affirms natural methods of family planning. Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

23. Masturbation • God created us as sexual beings to draw us to love another in a positive relationship. • When we use our sexual organs for pleasuring ourselves, we draw away from another to ourselves (selfishness). Chastity and Virginity • It is an understanding that our sexuality is a gift from God and not just a response to human desires. • The Catholic Church teaches that single or engaged men and women should avoid sexual intercourse until marriage. Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource

24. What does the Catholic Church teach on same sex attracted relationships The Pastoral position of the Church on homosexuality is: • Homosexual people are to be treated with dignity and respect as members of our Catholic family. • Sexual relationships between same-sex oriented people are considered not to be life giving and therefore the Church encourages homosexual people to live a life of chastity, as it does of single, engaged and divorced people. • Our Catholic Faith calls us to be peacemakers in building a community of love where all are truly accepted Catholic Schools Office Support Materials Personal Development and Health Education Resource