Good Communication
Some young people have told us they cannot bring up HIV in their home. They worry their parent or carer will get upset or not want to talk about it.
Talking to a child about HIV, whether it is your diagnosis or theirs, is not a one-off event. It is really important that they feel they can come back to you, and ask you further questions when they need to, so that this becomes an ongoing dialogue within the home.
The home should be the safest environment to talk about anything, especially about HIV. However, we acknowledge that talking about HIV could be very difficult.
The It’s Good 2 Talk resource for parents and carers can also help guide conversations with children and young people.
Tip from a parent: Introduce your young person to up to five trusted adults they can talk to, preferably living with or affected by HIV. It will take the pressure off you, with the confidence of knowing that your young person is in safe hands.
It might be worth watching these short films with your child or young person.
Watch together
Are You Okay is a short film that helps children understand who can support them with their HIV.
Life Growing Up explores real situations from the homes of families living with HIV, and provides insight into what young people have said they need from their parents or carers.
Love
This is especially important for your child or young person if they live in a home where there are other children NOT living with HIV. A constant reminder that they are loved is essential.
Tip from a parent: It is always good to allow some uninterrupted time between you and your young person. A bonding day is simple to organise yet very effective. For this, you will need to clear your diary for at least six hours. Ask your young person to arrange an activity that you can do together. It does not need to be expensive, for example you can pack a picnic and go to the park. The more time you spend together, the easier it will be to talk about anything, including HIV.
