A nurse at Pediatrics West in Westford has created a five-week instruction program on sex education that is designed for schoolchildren and their parents.

The "Smart Sex Education Program" is free and is conducted off campus. Parents have praised the course, saying it has made them more comfortable discussing an awkward subject with their children. SSEP has also been a boon in communities where schools have had to limit sex education classes due to a lack of funds.

Thu Anh Lewin, SSEP's creator, said she learned only after developing her course that some schools were cutting sex education. She said she became aware of the importance of reaching parents as well as teens after reviewing findings from CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Lewin said she was surprised that 23.5 percent of Westford students in grades nine through 12 responding to the survey in 2006, the latest data available, reported having had sexual intercourse; 32.1 percent reported oral sex; and 24.5 percent reported they believed more than half of their peers have had sex. Parents should be aware of the prevalence of sexual activity among teens and have the tools they need to discuss sex with their children, she said.

The course, which was held at Westford's J.V. Fletcher Library, wrapped up on May 22. Eight middle and high school students attended the weekly classes. A single class for parents, divided into day and night sessions, attracted more than 30 moms and dads.

Lewin said she plans to hold more classes this summer and hopes to obtain funding to make it more widely available soon.

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