Tender is saddened and disappointed by the draft RSHE guidance published in May.
The current proposals will not enable all young people to receive adequate or inclusive education about sex and relationships.
We encourage teachers, parents, children and young people to respond to the consultation themselves and urge the government to reconsider these proposals.
The guidance ignores the reality of young people’s lives
Children and young people are living in a climate of high-profile murders of women, the exposure of misogyny and racism in our police forces, the rising impact of online misogynist influencers, and exposure to pornography at an early age.
We can only fully equip children with the tools they need to develop healthy relationships through high quality RSHE that explores these topics when they become a real part of young people’s lives – not when they reach a school stage the Government determines appropriate.
Equally, Tender believes that preventing schools from teaching ‘the contested topic of gender identity’ ignores the reality that young people with diverse gender identities exist, erases them from learning which could protect their safety and wellbeing, and promotes harmful, discriminatory attitudes.
Trans, non-binary and young people with diverse gender identities deserve quality RSHE to learn about how their identities may affect their experiences of sex and relationships, the specific risks they may face, and how to seek appropriate support.
Designate RSHE as a specialist subject
We believe that every child should have access to representative, quality and inclusive sex and relationship education, which includes understanding different types of relationships and the disparate experiences of different communities.
This guidance only promotes an atmosphere of fear, uncertainty and discrimination. There is no acknowledgement of the additional support required for educators, or assurance that schools will be supported in resourcing this learning.
Tender calls for the RSHE curriculum to be designated a specialist subject with a minimum standards framework, and core elements aligned to safeguarding policies, best practice and quality assurance.
Have your say
Currently, this guidance is a draft which is subject to an 8-week consultation culminating on Thursday 11th July.
All members of the public are invited to share their views online as part of this consultation.
We encourage people of all ages, especially young people, parents and educators to respond. We will publish our response soon, but in the meantime there are some guides on how to respond to the consultation, and issues you might want to consider:
Complete the Online Survey.
Access the Draft RSHE Statutory Guidance.
