Conduct of relationships, sexual health and parenthood education in schools

Annex A

Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Schools

Further to Paragraph 5, the policy, guidance and legislative changes that have occurred since 2001 and should be taken into consideration when delivering RSHP education include:

• Respect and Responsibility (2005)
• The Schools (Health Promotion and Nutrition) (Scotland) Act (2007)
• The Equality Act (2010), which consolidated UK discrimination law and created a single Public Sector Equality Duty which extends equality considerations to sexual orientation, gender identity and religion or belief.
• National Guidance on Under-age Sexual Activity: Meeting the Needs of Children and Young People and Identifying Child Protection Concerns (2010)
• National Guidance for Child Protection in Scotland (2010), which provides a national framework for all who work with children and families on how to best protect children and keep them safe from harm. The most recent refresh of this guidance also takes into account issues around child sexual exploitation.
• Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework (2011-2015)
• National Parenting Strategy (2012)
• Equality Act Codes of Practice and Technical Guidance - Guidance for Schools (2013)
• The Scottish Parliament's report on its inquiry into teenage pregnancy (June 2013) made substantial proposals relating to relationships and sexual health education in schools. The forthcoming Teenage Pregnancy Strategy will also be relevant.
• The Children and Young People (Scotland) Act (2014), which includes provisions aimed at raising the profile of children's rights across the Scottish Government and the wider public sector. It further seeks to promote, support and safeguard children and young people's wellbeing by putting key aspects of Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) on a statutory basis ensuring more consistent implementation GIRFEC across children's services. When the duties within the Act are commenced, all education staff should be aware of the legislative requirements within which they are working.
• Scotland, as part of the UK, is party to the International Covenant of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ( ICESCR), which the UK ratified in 1976. Article 13 of ICESCR sets out the right of everyone to education, and emphasises that "education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and the sense of its dignity, and shall strengthen the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms… shall enable all persons to participate effectively in a free society, promote understanding, tolerance and friendship among all nations and all racial, ethnic or religious groups, and further the activities of the United Nations ( UN) for the maintenance of peace."
• Scotland's National Action Plan to Tackle CSE (2014)