APCC Chair Dame Vera Baird QC Welcomes Relationships and Sex Education for all Schools
APCC Chair and APCC Portfolio Lead on Victims Dame Vera Baird QC has welcomed measures announced by the Secretary of State for Education today, that Relationships and Sex Education will now be on a statutory footing, to ensure that it is taught in all schools.
Following the amendment which will be tabled to the Children and Social Work Bill, all primary schools in England will be required to teach age-appropriate ‘relationships education’, whilst all secondary schools in England will be required to teach age-appropriate ‘relationships and sex education’. These new measures will ensure that children and young people across the country will have access to education on risks including cyber-bulling and ‘sexting’, and other threats which have emerged since the last statutory guidance was introduced in 2000.
Dame Vera said:
“Today’s announcement on relationships and sex education will be welcomed by Police and Crime Commissioners across the country as a step forward in safeguarding all our children and young people by ensuring that they are educated on the risks and given the appropriate tools to keep themselves safe. It is particularly important that these provisions will apply to all primary and secondary schools.
“Sexting and sexual bullying in schools have been on the rise for a number of years now, whilst the growth of the internet and social media has led to predators being able to exploit children and young people online. Importantly, these measures will empower children and young people to understand the difference between healthy and unhealthy behaviour in relationships.
“Police and Crime Commissioners have campaigned for these changes, will look at the detail and work to ensure that they are successfully implemented as quickly as possible.”
Notes for editors
For more information contact Jamie.hurst@apccs.police.uk or 07710 716659