Parents and carers
The government SRE guidance document (DfEE 0116/2000) states that “schools should always seek to work in partnership with parents. This is essential to effective sex and relationship education”.
Parents and carers are crucial to the success of SRE in your school
The involvement of parents and carers is essential to the whole school approach to Healthy Schools and an area we are keen to develop in the Cornwall Healthy Schools Programme.
Parents and carers are the key people in educating their children about sex and relationships. This includes helping their children cope with the emotional and physical aspects of growing up and in preparing them for the challenges and responsibilities that sexual maturity brings. And children and young people want to talk to their parents.
There is broad support from both parents and young people for formal school-based SRE: in a 2005 survey 86% of all adults agreed that every young person should receive SRE in school as a compulsory part of the National Curriculum, and 94% of parents in a Health Education Authority survey stated that they were in favour of schools providing at least part of their children’s SRE.
Many parents and carers find it difficult to talk to their children about sex and relationships and say they would appreciate support in this role. We also have evidence that some parents hope that schools will be ‘doing’ SRE so they don’t have to.
The teaching offered by schools should complement and support the role of parents.
Schools should work in partnership with parents to review and develop the SRE policy and programme. Particular attention should be paid to the views of parents from religious and minority ethnic groups to ensure equality of opportunity in the consultation process.
Some parents and carers may need to be reassured that the personal beliefs and attitudes of teachers will not influence their teaching of SRE, which needs to be delivered within an agreed values framework that is outlined in the policy.
Parents may need to have time to discuss the school’s SRE programme with the teachers and to view teaching materials.
Schools can also run workshops for parents (see Speakeasy), in order to help them to talk with their children about feelings and relationships and to help them answer questions about growing up. More advice, including access to useful books and other materials, should be made available to parents to enable them to talk constructively with their children about sex and relationships.
Right to withdraw
Parents and carers have the right to withdraw their children from any SRE taught outside the statutory National Curriculum.
This applies to all young people attending schools, including those over compulsory school age, although one would hope the young person's wishes would be taken into account.
Parents are not able to withdraw pupils from SRE that arises incidentally as part of any curriculum area, provided that such discussion is relatively limited.
Pupils also have a right to access confidential advice at school through the school nurse or counsellor, even if their parents have exercised their right of withdrawal from the formal SRE programme.
Schools need to ensure that parents and carers understand the right of withdrawal and how to exercise it. Although parents’ right of withdrawal is absolute, it is helpful for schools to invite parents to indicate their reasons so that any misunderstandings may be resolved. The more parents are consulted and informed about the school’s SRE programme, the less likely they will be to want to withdraw their children. It may also be useful to offer parents materials to help them talk to their children at home, see resources for ideas.
Parents and carers can be informed of their right to withdraw in the school prospectus, in newsletters or as part of a specific letter about the delivery of SRE. It is not necessary to seek permission from parents and carers every time a module on SRE is being delivered. However, many parents state that they would like to know when SRE is taking place so that they can follow up issues with their children at home.
The vast majority of parents want, and expect, schools to deliver SRE
In November 2009 the government published Customer voice research: sex and relationships education, the results of a research project that canvassed parents' views on SRE. The research found that parents viewed SRE as a fundamental part of their children’s education that will stay with them for life. Overwhelmingly, parents felt that it is every child’s right to receive SRE, just as they would any other subject. It should therefore be part of the National Curriculum and integrated into every child’s rounded, balanced education. To maintain it as an optional subject is, for many parents, to continue to stigmatise the subject.
