Speakeasy

About Speakeasy

Speakeasy offers a non-threatening group-based opportunity for parents and carers to acquire the confidence and skills they need to talk to their children about sex and sexuality. It is designed to be fun and relaxed, providing an atmosphere where parents can learn together from their own experiences. It is locally organised and can link with educational, community and/or health provisions in a particular area.

Find out more about about Speakeasy in the:

Speakeasy project zone

• about the Speakeasy course
• what parents and carers say about Speakeasy
• Evaluation of the effects of the Birmingham Speakeasy course including the impact on children of those taking the course.
• Trust for the Study of Adolescence (TSA) 2005–06 Speakeasy Parenting Fund evaluation: supporting professionals working with young people around sex and relationships
• Trust for the Study of Adolescence (TSA) 2002–07 Executive summary
• Evaluation of Speakeasy course for parents – 2002 to 2007 (TSA)
• Speakeasy peer education
• Speakeasy training for staff in voluntary and community sectors
• Presentations from the 2007 Speakeasy Conference in Manchester are now available. Email alisonr@fpa.org.uk for more information.

Speakeasy parents' zone

Use this zone to find out how Speakeasy can help you.

• fpa and the BBC have teamed up to launch a new bare facts website to support parents and carers talking about sex and relationships with their children.
• Speakeasy resources
• Speakeasy – about sex and relationships education in schools
• Speakeasy – talking to your child about sex and relationships
• Watch this space! More information coming soon.

Speakeasy trainers' zone

Watch this space! More information coming soon.

Speakeasy Together

Building on the success of the Speakeasy parent programme, fpa is piloting a family learning approach to this work called Speakeasy Together. This will test the extent to which learning around sex, relationships and growing up can be done in a family learning setting. A number of parents have suggested this development in previous evaluations of Speakeasy and the benefits of a family learning approach in encouraging parental involvement and promoting parent–child dialogue are well understood.

The work will focus on the London Boroughs of Brent and Lambeth in the summer term 2008. Parents and their children in the transition stages of their schooling (target ages 9–11 and 12–13) will come to together for between one and three sessions to explore the changes that take place at puberty, the pressures and influences faced by parents and children, and how and when to begin talking about these topics.

For more information contact Anastasia Morgan-Rose on anastasiam@fpa.org.uk and 020 7608 5269.

fpa resources

fpa publishes a range of resources to help you talk to your children about sex and sexuality. Find out more in our shop .

Further information about Speakeasy

Find out who to contact about Speakeasy.

Magazines wanted

Speakeasy needs your old magazines for use in our work with parents. Please send us:

• magazines targeted at young people (such as Sugar and Cosmogirl)
• glossy magazines featuring adverts and pictures of celebrities.
  

They will be put to good use in exercises that help parents explain the impact of images and stereotypes on children. If you can help please call 020 7608 5271 or email davidk@fpa.org.uk.