Batteries not Included - an exploration of issues in sex education and sexuality for people with multiple disabilities
What the Scottish executive says we should do in schools
1) Health Education in Scottish Schools
2) National Guidance
a) Scottish Executive guidance Sex education in Scottish Schools.
Part of this guidance relates to consultation and is supported by a leaflet
Effective Consultation with Parents and Carers. This provides information
on the principles and aims of sex education that can inform your policy development.
The principles endorsed by the Executive stress a positive, natural and lifelong
approach to sex education as follows:
“Sex Education can be defined as a lifelong learning process whereby
children and young people acquire knowledge, understanding and skills, and
develop beliefs, attitudes and values about their sexuality and relationships
within a moral and ethical framework.”
The key principles are as follows:
- Sex education should be viewed as one element of health education, set within the wider context of health promotion and health-promoting ethos of the school.
- Sex education should contribute to the physical, emotional, moral and spiritual development of all young people within the context of today’s society.
- Education about sexuality and relationships should reflect the cultural, ethnic and religious influences within the home, the school; and the community.
- Sex education should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to the diverse backgrounds and needs of all young people.
- Sex education starts informally at an early stage with parents and carers and continues though to adulthood both within the home and at all stages of school life.’
3) 5-14 Guidance (PSD, Health)
4) Amended / Elaborated curricula
5) National Strategy on Sexuality
What additional resources do you use? What curricula do you follow?
Some examples:
‘4Boys / 4Girls – Talking with young people about sex and relationships’ (fpa 2001)
‘Talking Together……about growing up’ (fpa 1999)
‘I have the right to know – a course on sexuality and personal relationships for people with learning difficulties’ (BILD 1997)