MPs have voted through regulations that will require relationships education to be taught at primary school and relationships and sex education to be taught at secondary school across England, by 538 votes to 21.

Some positive elements

There are a number of positive aspects to these regulations, and the associated guidance, that CARE has welcomed. The rebranded subjects will focus on caring and respectful relationships, safety online, the positive aspects of marriage, and the choice that students have to delay sex or to enjoy intimacy without sex.

Importantly, the new regulations will also require schools to consult with parents when they develop or review their RSE curriculum. The regulations state that, “Schools should ensure that the policy meets the needs of pupils and parents and reflects the community they serve.”

Parental rights weakened

Despite these positive aspects several concerns were raised in the Commons last week, particularly around the right to withdraw from sex education. MPs Jim Shannon and George Freeman both highlighted that the government should tread gently when stepping between parents and their children.

Jim Shannon touched on the impracticalities of a right to withdraw as it is currently constituted, arguing: “If relationships and sex education is taught as an integrated subject, how can one withdraw a child from sex education but not from relationships education? The Government’s proposed changes will put parents and teachers in an impossible situation; in some cases, I suspect that it will put them on a collision course.”

Disappointingly, the Minister was not helpful in responding to these points and did not provide clarification where it was needed. The vote yesterday means the regulations will now be debated in the House of Lords.

Commenting, Jonathan Williams CARE’s Family Policy Officer said:

“There are many positive aspects to these regulations however our concerns remain regarding the parental right to withdraw children from sex education.

The Government has repeatedly said that parents are the ‘prime educators’ of their children on these matters and yet they are turning their back on parents when it really matters.

These regulations should aim to empower and work with parents, not force their children into something against their wishes. This represents a worrying shift in the boundary between the state and the family.

CARE will continue to campaign for a comprehensive and workable parental right to withdraw from relationships and sex education.”