Growing fears around sex and health education guidance

As the Autumn term across England and Wales begins, the Association of Christian Teachers (ACT) has expressed concern about uncertainty around the draft relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) guidance.

The draft guidance, published in May, includes clear age limits for teaching the most sensitive content, and states that the ‘broader concept of gender identity’ should not be taught. If published, the final guidance would be statutory.

However, the results of consultation have not yet been published and hundreds of organisations, including pro-LGBT groups and campaigners are pressurising the Labour government to scrap the guidance.

ACT’s executive officer Lizzie Harewood said: ‘There’s a lot of uncertainty about the draft guidance for schools on RSHE and gender-questioning children, making it feel like any progress made on these issues during the last Parliament has stalled.’