Sexuality Education

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Policy

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Victorian health education policy

The Health Education Approaches section of the School Policy and Advisory Guide provides an outline of sexuality education policy for government schools.

See: School Policy and Advisory Guide – Health Education Approaches

See also:

Sexuality education policy is closely connected to the Victorian Essential Learning Standards. For more information on sexuality education and curriculum policy, see:

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Victorian student health and student care policies

While these sections of the School Policy and Advisory Guide do not specifically focus on sexuality education, they contain student health intervention, prevention and care information that is sex related. For example, they outline policy related to sexual assault, homophobic bullying and the school engagement of pregnant and parenting students.

See:

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Health education and student health and care policies – working together

A whole-school learning approach to sexuality education will ensure that sexuality education activities (education for a student’s sexually healthy adult life) support health and wellbeing activities (issues-related prevention and wellbeing support).

There are opportunities in student health and wellbeing for powerful learning in sexuality education, for example, through a student-focused examination of an aspect of a school’s wellbeing policy or health procedures.

The occurrence of sex-related critical incidents such as sexual assault and homophobic bullying can also indicate a need to re-evaluate the curriculum and student learning needs in a school’s sexuality education program.

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Supporting Victorian health policy

The following three health strategies of the Department of Human Services support this Department’s comprehensive, whole-school learning approach to sexuality education. The Department’s whole-school learning approach is recognised as one of three key methods with the potential to significantly reduce the prevalence and impacts of STIs in the Victorian community.

  1. Victorian Sexually Transmissible Infections Strategy 2006–2009
    (http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ideas/diseases/sti_strategy)
  2. Victorian HIV/AIDS Strategy 2002–2004 and Addendum 2005–2009
    (http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ideas/diseases/hiv_strategy)
  3. Victorian Hepatitis C Strategy 2002–2004 and Addendum 2005–2009
    (http://www.health.vic.gov.au/ideas/diseases/hepc_strategy)

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Supporting legislation – Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1995

The Victorian Equal Opportunity Act 1995 makes it unlawful to discriminate or sexually harass in education. School leaders, teachers and support staff have a responsibility to put effective strategies in place to provide positive and safe environments and real learning outcomes for all students.

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National framework

National Framework for Education about STIs

Talking Sexual Health – the National Framework for Education about STIs, HIV/AIDS & Blood-borne Viruses – focuses on the key principles of diversity, social justice and promoting a supportive environment. The framework was developed on behalf of the Australian National Council on AIDS, Hepatitis C and Related Diseases in 2001.

Talking Sexual Health is provided with permission from the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

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Sexuality education policy and practice in the United Kingdom

The following policy information is provided as an example of overseas sexuality education policy and practice. In the United Kingdom, sexuality education is mandatory for all primary and secondary school students. The following fact sheet from United Kingdom’s Family Planning Association (January 2004) provides a useful overview of the country’s legislation and government policy: Sex and Relationship Education – Fact Sheet (PDF – 453KB).
(http://www.fpa.org.uk)

AVERT, the international HIV and AIDS charity based in the UK, hosts a well-regarded website on a wide range of sexual health and HIV-related issues. A visit is recommended.

See: AVERT – sexual education (http://www.avert.org/sexedu.htm)