Documents
The following documents provide guidance to voluntary and private pre-school education centres on various aspects of the Programme.
- Circular 2022/12 - Open enrolment in nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools
- General Guidance for Voluntary/Private Providers
Preventing child sexual exploitation and Relationships and Sexuality Education
This is guidance on preventing Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education. The guidance has been produced by the Department of Education (DE) for statutory education settings, but is also relevant for non-statutory settings.
In most instances the content of this guidance is targeted at older children but we hope you find it useful to see the information and advice which DE shares with schools and other educational establishments on these important issues. Links to the relevant material are set out below.
Child Sexual Exploitation
The report of the independent inquiry, led by Kathleen Marshall, into CSE in the north of Ireland is available on the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) website
A child/young person friendly version of the report in the form of animation is also available.
The Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) was enjoined to the inquiry and its report ‘Evaluation of Preventative Education' is available on the ETI website.
Relationships and Sexuality Education
DE Circular 2015/22 - Relationship and Sexuality Education Guidance advises school authorities about revised RSE guidance produced by CCEA on behalf of the Department of Education.
The updated guidance can be accessed on the CCEA website at the links below:
Advice on best practice
The Education and Training Inspectorate's (ETI) evaluation of Relationships and Sexuality Education in Post-Primary Schools is available on the ETI website.
Advice to schools on the best practice characteristics identified by the ETI in relation to the provision of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is available on the Department's website