Parents are important support and resource people for very young adolescents (VYAs). They play a critical role in ensuring VYAs have the knowledge and skills they need to navigate the changes of adolescence and make responsible decisions to stay safe and healthy. They also shape VYAs' attitudes and behaviors related to gender and other social norms, which are an important element of adolescents’ well-being. However, many parents feel unprepared to talk with their children about sexual and reproductive health (SRH), either because they themselves lack the knowledge and vocabulary to have such discussions or because of prevailing norms and practices that stigmatize discussion of these topics. An expanding body of literature has shown that providing parents with the knowledge, skills and confidence to interact more frequently and more positively with their children can have far-reaching effects on VYAs’ education, health and wellbeing.

In this section, you will find resources for Advocacy, Program Implementation and Research related to parent involvement with VYAs.