Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) is essential to a young person's development, and is an integral part of keeping them safe and healthy as they grow up and into adulthood.
Developmentally appropriate RSE aims to:
- Help children and young people to understand and take care of their physical health;
- Improve children and young people’s emotional well-being and mental health;
- Safeguard children and young people by supporting them to report harmful behaviour, including online
- Inform children and young people of their rights and responsibilities in society, leading to greater community cohesion and appreciation of independence and interdependence within relationships
- Develop emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills, including around gender equity and power dynamics in relationships
- Reduce harmful behaviour, including sexual violence and relationship abuse, stigma and discrimination
- Help children and young people to develop positive relationships with themselves and others, based on respect and equality
- Compliments and supports parental guidance
When they have received comprehensive RSE, young people are:
- More likely to seek help or speak out if they are being abused;
- More likely to practice safe sex and have improved health outcomes;
- More likely to have consented to first sex, and for first sex to happen at an older age;
- More likely to have an understanding of digital safety in regard to relationships and sex;
- More knowledgeable and aware of discrimination, gender equity and sexual rights; and
- Less likely to be a victim or perpetrator of sexual violence
The above overview was provided by the Sex Education Forum