Planet Puberty

Planet Puberty is an online resource that's been designed to provide parents and carers of children with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder with information, strategies and resources to navigate through puberty. It has been produced by Family Planning NSW (Australia), and has been co-designed with adults with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder across Australia.

• The lessons cover a wide range of topics, including physical changes (eg, body parts, hygiene, periods), emotional changes, relationships, gender and sexual identity, and keeping safe.
• In each lesson/topic, there is extensive information about what to expect, what you'll need to teach your child.
• There is also information about how to navigate these changes and your own feelings/concerns as a parent/carer.
• There are suggested conversation starters for how to begin discussions on each topic. Each topic also has suggestions for strategies to try when teaching your child, and printable resources to use with your child. Each topic also has a downloadable pdf if you would prefer an easy English version.
• In addition to the lessons, there are a range of other resources on Planet Puberty. In the Resource Hub, you'll find a wide range of resources. There are a wide range of videos, including videos from families and adults with intellectual disabilities. There are also a range of printable pdfs and factsheets, as well as links to resources from other websites, and suggested books.
• There are also a few interactive games for your child to play to help them learn about some concepts (eg, understanding private vs public).
• Planet Puberty has also produced a podcast that you can listen to.

For the complete app description, go to the resource website(external link) or, for a more detailed review, see reviews below.

Clinical review

Reviewer: Emma Riddell, Clinical Pharmacist, Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora
Date of review: July 2024
Platform: Android and laptop
Comments: This online resource is an amazing tool to use with your child. It has been specifically designed to help parents/carers of children with intellectual disability or autism spectrum disorder. The information is all very high quality, and the web pages are available in multiple languages. Many of the pages also have a link to an “easy English” version of the topic, with simplified information. The resources to use with your child are all well designed, with simple pictures and words. I found that the website covered an excellent range of topics. In addition to covering the facts about what to expect, there is also information about how you and your child might be feeling about the changes. There is very practical advice, such as specific conversation starters to use, strategies to trial, and teaching techniques to try. Overall, I would highly recommend this online resource, and I suggest spending some time having a look at all the topics covered and resources available, as there is so much high quality content on this site.
Safety concerns: None.
New Zealand relevance: Yes
Concerns: Note that the referral options section of this website is specific to Australia.