Parenting Education
Enhanced Parenting Skills | Talking With Kids About HIV/AIDS | BAPPS | CHANCE
Talking With Kids About HIV/AIDS
According the the Centers for Disease Control, 15- to 24-year olds account for half of the known cases of HIV/AIDS in the world. With more than 140,000 reported cases in New York City, understanding HIV and what can be done to prevent it is crucial. Yet parents have difficulty communicating with their children about sex and sexuality.
Talking with Kids about HIV/AIDS works primarily in community settings with parents, guardians, and other adults who care about children and young people to promote:
- better understanding of AIDS and HIV transmission;
- more frequent and more in-depth conversations with young people about HIV/AIDS;
- increased skills in coping with how HIV/AIDS is affecting the lives of participants, their children, and their communities; and
- a reduction of the participants' own risk of HIV transmission.
Cornell University Cooperative Extension educators train parent volunteers and staff members of schools, churches, and local organizations to deliver intensive workshops and also conduct some workshops directly with parents in a variety of settings. More than 1,700 adults participated in 2003, and 192 agency leaders attended 15 "train-the-trainer" workshops.
Collaborators
Collaborating organizations during 2003 included the Puerto Rican Family Institute, Catholic Charities, Tepeyac, New York City Public Schools, Hostos Community College, the Latino Commission on AIDS, Gay Men's Health Crisis, and the New York State Department of Health AIDS Institute. The state Department of Health Adolescent HIV Prevention Unit helped fund the project.
Impact
Most importantly, the program is having an impact. Workshop participants say they feel better equipped to discuss sexuality with their children without reacting in a way that would close down future communication. Those who engaged in a focus group discussion during 2003 reported changes in parenting styles. They said that the program improved their ability to relate to their children and gave them new approaches in communicating with them.