Building trauma-responsive sexual health and relationship education

Associate Professor Tim Moore, Institute of Child Protection Studies, Australian Catholic University

Associate Professor Jodi Death, School of Justice, Queensland University of Technology

Leesa Waters, National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

Rani Kumar, National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

Oliver White, National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

Many young people tell us that relationship and sexual health education needs a re-think. This is particularly true for young people who have experienced maltreatment, for whom relationship and sexual health education can be particularly confusing, confronting and unresponsive to their needs. This research project aims to understand what young people who have experienced maltreatment need and want from relationship and sexual health education and to co-design youth-informed and trauma-responsive principles, practices and tools for educators in universal and targeted settings.

This project will build on the international literature, captured through systematic reviews, include interviews with 15 young people who have experienced childhood maltreatment and co-design workshops with a group of 30 stakeholders, including young people, educators, researchers and adult survivors. A survey will gain feedback from key stakeholders about the value and useability of the proposed resources.

This project aims to improve the safety and trauma-responsiveness of relationship and sexual health education and provide invaluable guidance to educators on how to meet young people’s needs. Young people who have experienced childhood maltreatment will be active partners and co-designers and help shape what we do, how we do it and the resources that are developed.