Lurie Children's Sexuality Education Program combines the expertise of multidisciplinary staff with a youth-centered and engaging curriculum. Our team supports thoughtful, culturally responsive, and LGBTQIA inclusive conversations as students learn about relationships, social emotional development, and their bodies. All programming is consistent with the National Sexuality Education Standards and Gender Spectrum's “Principles of Gender Inclusive Puberty and Health Education”. We are an approved community-based Sexual Health Education provider with public and private schools, including Chicago Public Schools.
Types of Programming
Our staff provide tailored developmentally appropriate sessions to fit the needs of all students. As a pediatric institution, we share a unique expertise for grades K-8, but support these sessions across all levels of education.
LGBTQ Centered/GSA Workshops
We offer age-appropriate sexuality education tailored to the needs of LGBTQ youth for middle and high school GSAs, focusing on consent, communication, and safe sex.
Parents and family members are their children’s first teachers. Our staff provides adults an opportunity to explore and learn about the range of topics covered in comprehensive sexuality education. We talk about ways to respond to challenging questions. We provide tools and resources to ensure that adults are equipped to provide ongoing affirming support to the children and young people in their lives. These sessions are conversational, prioritizing community and family needs. These sessions support the need for each young person to have a team of informed and supportive adults at home, at school and in their communities.
Our team knows the importance of supporting teachers and school staff in becoming comfortable and confident in facilitating sexuality education conversations. Through our school professional development offerings, we prepare staff to provide accurate and developmentally appropriate responses to challenging questions. Professional development (PD) sessions can focus on formal sexual health education facilitators or general school personnel who may be responding to sexuality education topics that arise outside of formal curriculum.
PD options include:
- Overview of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (tailored to age of students)
- Make It Interactive: Hands-On Practice of Activities to Support Sexuality Education
- Preparation & Co-facilitation of Parent Nights
- Q&A: Answering Challenging Questions
- Opportunities to shadow or co-facilitate lessons
- Review of curriculum and practices at the school district level
Our Gender and LGBTQ Inclusion trainings are an excellent complement to Sexuality Education training.
Sexuality Education Resources
Trans Student Educational Resources
Birth Control Methods (with videos) from Planned Parenthood*
Sex Ed for Self-Advocates: A guide for people age 15+ on the autism spectrum +
*You can find planned Parenthood’s Chat/Text anytime by visiting Plannedparenthood.org/chat or texting PPNOW to PPINFO (774636).
Philanthropy
Your support is vital in helping us continue to make a difference in the lives of patients and families. The Potocsnak Family Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine relies on philanthropic funding to enhance its programs, services and research for adolescents and young adults. To learn more, please e-mail the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago Foundation at foundation@luriechildrens.org or call 312.227.7500.