Consultation on the guidance relating to relationships education

The Children and Social Work Act 2017 paved the way for Relationships Education at primary school and Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) at secondary level. The Act also provides a power for the Secretary of State to make Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE), or elements of the subject, mandatory in all schools.

Relationships education will cover different types of relationships, including friendships and family relationships, dealing with strangers, how to recognise, understand and build healthy relationships, including self-respect and respect for others, commitment, tolerance, boundaries and consent. It will also cover how to manage conflict, as well as how to recognise unhealthy relationships, and how relationships may affect health and well-being, including mental health, and safety online.
All primary schools (maintained, academies or independent) will be required to provide relationships education (and will retain their current choice to teach age-appropriate sex education) – there is no right for parents to withdraw the child, unlike with sex education at secondary-school level.

This consultation asks for views on the draft regulations and statutory guidance, and whether the statutory guidance provides sufficient information and support to schools in teaching the subjects. The consultation also asks for views on the regulatory impact assessment.

• Consultlation documents can be found here
• Consultation ends 7 November 2018

For our guide to the Children and Social Work Act, see here