Department publishes response to the Relationships and Sexuality Education Consultation

Date published: 5 January 2024

The Department completed the consultation on its legal duty to provide for a parent to request to have their child excused from age-appropriate, comprehensive and scientifically accurate education on sexual and reproductive health and rights, covering prevention of early pregnancy and access to abortion as part of of the Personal Development strand of Learning for Life and Work (LLW) at key stages 3 and 4.

The Department’s Regulations are in response to the statutory requirement introduced by the Secretary of State and came into effect on 1 January 2024.

The consultation ran for 12 weeks from 1 September to 24 November 2023. A total of 13,461 responses were received with over 25,000 comments.

The consultation response report can be viewed on the Department’s website here - https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/consultations/education/Consultation%20Response%20Report.pdf

The Explanatory Memorandum and Statutory Rules can be viewed here – www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/relationship-and-sexuality-education-rse

Alongside the Regulations, the Department has published guidance for schools in relation to the provision of RSE in schools following the Secretary of State’s amendments to the LLW curriculum at key stages 3 and 4. Feedback from the consultation and engagement with stakeholders has informed the guidance.

The guidance can be viewed here – www.education-ni.gov.uk/publications/circular-202401-guidance-amendments-relationship-and-sexuality-education