Let's Talk About Consent

Consent is an important concept for everyone to understand. It applies to situations that occur every day, to everyone. Consent education is now mandatory in Australian schools, but consent is not just about sex. It’s an agreement regarding your rights or your body. In this podcast, host Tracey Challenor speaks to expert educators and a parent for advice on how to approach the consent conversation with younger children. Dr Melissa Kang, academic, physician and co-author of Welcome to Consent, says it begins with helping children to understand private and personal space as well as teaching kids to identify the boundaries of others. Respectful relationships are part of the conversation. Life Ed Puberty and relationships educator Lane Norman also shares how she navigates what can be a tricky conversation: “I say to children, it’s your body. No one gets to tell you what to do with it, so listen to your body, listen to your gut response, and keep yourself safe.”