Goals & Objectives

The primary goal of Parent/Family Engagement is to:

· Improve the reproductive and sexual health of teens.

Parent/Family Engagement has four primary objectives:

· To increase parent/family connectedness in youths’ lives;

· To increase parent/family capacity to discuss and dialogue with youth about reproductive health issues;

· To increase parent/family support for reproductive health services (in general) and reproductive health services for teens (in particular);

· To increase the potential for parents/family members as advocates for ARH.

Activities

Parent/Family Engagement Activities include (but are not limited to):

· Increasing parent/family knowledge about reproductive and sexual health (e.g., reproductive physiology, STDs, HIV/AIDS, contraceptive methods);

· Increasing parent/family knowledge about other issues important to teens (e.g., relationships, values);

· Increasing parent/family knowledge about public policies that influence access to information and services around reproductive health – for adults and for teens;

· Educating parents/families about the importance of reproductive health care for teens and about the process of receiving care;

· Strengthening parent/adult communication skills about reproductive health and sexuality issues; (e.g., what issues to discuss; how to start conversation, when to talk);

· Promoting opportunities for parents/families and youth to spend time together doing things that are mutually enjoyable and that promote respect, trust, affection, and an exchange of ideas;

· Encouraging teens in the clinic setting to inform and/or engage parents and significant adults in their decisions about sexuality and reproductive health care;

· Welcoming parents/family members into the clinic environment, if and when adolescents wish to have parents/family members involved;

· Training parents/caregivers and adult family members to be advocates for local and national reproductive health issues that promote healthy sexuality among adults and teens.

Program Approaches

Parent/Family Engagement is implemented primarily through the following approaches:

Youth-Centered. Recognizes the importance of parents, but maintains focus and emphasis on the specific needs of teens. Staffs encourage teens to inform parents about their sexual and reproductive health decisions and to invite parents to special programs sponsored by the clinic. Programs tend to be implemented within the clinic setting, or if outside the clinic, focus on increase parent/family knowledge through educational fliers and brochures and health fairs.

Joint Youth- & Parent-Centered. Connects parents with specific youth-centered activities or offers a separate, short-term activity to augment broader youth-centered efforts. Activities can be implemented within the clinic or in local community settings, depending upon the activity.

Parent (Family)-Centered. Offers explicit outreach to and activities for parents/families and only parents/families. Activities are usually community and or school-based and include adult peer-to-peer training, communication workshops, advocacy training and multi-media efforts.

Why Reproductive Health Professionals Should Conduct Parent/Family Engagement

Any program or agency can do parent/family engagement and can focus their engagement efforts on issues other than ARH and sexuality. Participation from reproductive health provider agencies and professionals is particularly critical for enhancing parent/family efforts to promote healthy behaviors among teens. Reproductive health agencies and professionals:

· Have appropriate expertise regarding the reproductive and sexual health of teens;

· Know first hand the needs, concerns, and preferences of youth regarding reproductive and sexual health;

· Are committed to protecting access to services and confidentiality of care to teens, and;

· Have access to parents/caregivers and other adults through community outreach and support services.

Evidence Supporting Parent/Family Engagement and Minor’s Access to Reproductive Health Services

· Parents and families play an important role in the development of children and youth.

Young family members develop notions and values about sexuality in early childhood through information provided by parents and caregivers, as well as through behaviors and values modeled by parents/caregivers and other family members. Strong, healthy parent-child relationships, accurate information, consistent and clear communication, monitoring of and active support of teens’ interests can delay sexual initiation and increase the odds of contraceptive use if teens become sexually active. These factors also foster sound decision-making skills, an understanding and respect for intimacy and a sense of direction and interest in the future.

· There is strong parental support for teen access to reproductive and sexual health information and services.

Parents and caregivers report some comfort with sexuality-related matters, but would prefer additional guidance on how to connect with adolescents on sexuality and relationship issues.

· Teens want guidance from parents and adult family members around reproductive and sexual health issues.

Teens indicate they prefer to talk openly with significant adults about sexuality, but feel parents are ill informed or uncomfortable when discussing sexuality issues with them.

· Teens also want to access reproductive health information and services without the explicit consent or knowledge of their parents, caregivers or other significant adults.

Many teens delay seeking reproductive health care out of fear their parents may find out they are sexually active. In some instances, parental knowledge about teens’ use of services can lead to serious emotional or physical repercussions for adolescents.

· A majority of adolescents become sexually active by the end of their teenage years.

Sexually active teens require access to contraceptive information and supplies, clinical screening and treatment, and medical and social service referrals. Protecting access to reproductive health services and confidentiality of care for teens is critical for ensuring the sexual health of adolescents.

The PFE Project

1800 N. Charles St., Suite 902

Baltimore, MD 21201

P: 410-625-6250

F: 410-625-1965

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Goals & Objectives