Resources to share with parents

Your Teen’s Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (HealthLinkBC)
This resource provides definitions for sexual orientation and gender identity and provides an overview of these terms. It also provides tips for parents to support 2SLGBTQIA+ youth.

Teaching Sexual Health for parents (Alberta Health)
Provides information and resources for parents by age and topic, with tips on how to be more comfortable with having sexual health conversations. 

Differing Abilities – Parents (Teaching Sexual Health)
Teaching Sexual Health website’s Differing Abilities section for parents offers guidance on how to support the sexual development of children and youth with differing abilities.

HIV Essentials (CATIE)
Covers the basics of HIV transmission, testing and treatment.

Talking to your kids about pornography (Media Smarts)
Tip sheet on talking to your kids about pornography, and digital media literacy. 

Erase (Government of B.C.)
Information for students, parents and schools on internet safety, digital media literacy and preventing cyberbullying and sextortion

It’s Easier Than You Think! Tips for Talking with Your Children about Sexual Health (Saskatchewan Prevention Institute)
This booklet provides practical guidance for parents to engage in open, age-appropriate conversations with their children about sexual health.

Support for Parents (Qmunity)
This resource provides support and guidance to parents and caregivers on how to support youth with questions about gender, sexuality and coming out as a member of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community.

Mobile applications: Five questions parents can ask to keep kids safe! (Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
This resource from the RCMP provides tips and information about keeping youth safe when they use digital apps.

Internet safety resources (Cybertip.ca)
Proactive strategies for parents on how to keep your child or youth safe online. Includes tips on how to stay up to date with new technology.

Talking to Your Child About Sexual Health – Birth-12 years (Teaching Sexual Health by Alberta Health)
A comprehensive guide for parents from Alberta Health Services that assists parents and caregivers to speak with their children about sexual health. 

Talking to your Child About Sexual Health - 13-18 years (Teaching Sexual Health by Alberta Health)
A comprehensive guide for parents that assists parents and caregivers to speak with their youth aged 13-18 years about sexual health.

Parenting Tweens and Teens in the Digital World (Kids in the Know)
This 16-page guide discusses key safety concerns for youth. It provides information that supports parents and caregivers to help reduce unintended outcomes of digital media use, and have open conversations related to online safety and setting healthy boundaries.

Addressing self/peer exploitation (Canadian Centre for Child Protection)
This in depth guide provides families with guidance to support youth who have shared sexual images of themselves or of a peer (sexting). The guide offers emotional, legal and supportive guidance for families and youth impacted by sexual exploitation.  

• "Beyond the Big Talk: Every Parent’s Guide to Raising Sexually Healthy Teens" by Deborah W. Haffner
• "But How'd I Get in There in the First Place?: Talking to Your Young Child about Sex" by Deborah M. Roffman
• "Hold On to Your Kids: Why Parents Matter" by Gordon Neufeld and Gabor Mate
• “My Body! What I Say Goes!” By Jayneen Sanders
• "Sex and Sensibility: The Thinking Parent's Guide to Talking Sense about Sex" by Deborah Roffman
• "The New Speaking of Sex: What Your Children Need to Know and When They Need to Know it" by Meg Hickling
• "Talk To Me First: Everything You Need to Know to Become Your Kids’ “Go to” Person about Sex" by Deborah Roffman
• "Ten Talks Parents Must Have with Their Children about Sex and Character" by Pepper Schwartz and Dominic Cappello
• "The Transgender Child: A Handbook for Families and Professionals" by Stephanie Brill
• "What's the Big Secret?: Talking About Sex With Girls & Boys" by Laurie and Marc Brown