6. Conclusions
In this project we asked young people, parents and whānau and professionals working with young people a range of questions to help find out what support young people need as they have their first relationships. The responses provided information and opinions about:
- what relationship issues young people are working through and what skills and information they need
- where young people learn about relationships and where they go to for support
- who should be teaching young people about relationships
- how to effectively support young people as they deal with relationship issues, and particularly how parents can support their young people.
The findings from our study highlight the significance family and whānau and schools have in influencing and supporting young people as they have their first relationships.
Key messages to emerge from the study are:
- Young people learn about relationships by watching their parents, whānau and the adults around them.
- Parents, whānau and other adults are key sources of support for young people.
- Young people want to learn more about the emotional side of relationships through the school curriculum.
- Schools’ student support services are probably under-resourced and need to be better linked in with the young person’s family and community services.
As a result of this study, the Families Commission will undertake the following actions:
- raise awareness with parents and whānau of the fact that what they do in their own couple relationship significantly influences young people
- communicate young people’s preferences about what they do and don’t want by way of support from their parents and the issues they struggle with, to parents
- advocate that relevant parties in the education sector:
- change the curriculum name to ‘Sexuality and Relationship Education’
- maintain and strengthen a focus on teaching relationship skills and education as part of sexuality education in the health-education curriculum
- provide more information to parents, family and whānau at the same time as their young people are being taught sexuality and relationship education at school
- investigate the need for better resourcing for effective student support services in secondary schools
- raise awareness with other adults of the fact that their support is important to young people.