Evidence based practice
An overview of the rationale and aims of sexuality and sexual health education and advice about values education and policy implementation.
Sexuality and sexual health education is the responsibility of the whole school community and is most effective as part of a whole-school approach.
Consent education
The teaching of consent in all NSW public schools is mandatory. Consent is a concept embedded in child protection education and sexuality and sexual health education.
Why the learning matters
Sexuality and sexual health education develops students’ knowledge and skills to understand and feel confident about the physical, social and emotional changes they may experience.
Students can be ‘enlightened without being frightened’. They can be taught to network with trusted adults and to be aware that there are people and services to help them within their community. There is significant evidence on the impact of sexuality education. It emphasises that:
- sexuality education has positive effects, including increasing young people’s knowledge and improving their attitudes related to sexual and reproductive health and behaviours
- sexuality education – in or out of schools – does not increase sexual activity, sexual risk-taking behaviour or STI or HIV infection rates
- programs that promote abstinence as the only option have been found to be ineffective in delaying sexual initiation, reducing the frequency of sex or reducing the number of sexual partners. Programs that combine a focus on delaying sexual activity with other content are effective.
- sexuality education has the most impact when school-based programs are complemented with the involvement of parents and within a whole school approach.
Source: UNESCO, Why comprehensive sexuality education is important, viewed November 2022.