FSRH press statement: Draft statutory RSE guidance is approved by Parliament

Following a debate on 25 February, Parliament has now voted through the draft statutory guidance and regulations on Relationships and Sex Education.

Dr Asha Kasliwal, President of the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH), said:

“FSRH welcomes the vote in Parliament which is a vital step forward to introduce statutory relationships and sex education in every secondary school in England.

“The vote shows that the vast majority of MPs believe, like I do, that pupils have the right to access high-quality, factual information that will empower them to make the best decisions about their own sexual and reproductive health.

“Supporting teachers and other professionals in schools will be key to implement the guidance effectively. Free, evidence-based resources such as the Abortion Factsheet launched by FSRH and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) are incredibly helpful to support education professionals to deliver lessons on topics covered in the guidance such prevention of unplanned pregnancies.”

Ends

Notes to editors:

• Parliament's Votes and Proceedings on Wednesday 27 March 2019, including the result of the vote on the RSE guidance and regulations, can be found here
• The RSE guidance by the Department for Education can be found here
• FSRH and RCOG launched a free resource on abortion care to support teachers with RSE lessons in secondary schools in the UK. The joint FSRH-RCOG Abortion Factsheet actsheet aims to ensure that professionals involved in educating young people about pregnancy choices have a factually accurate, unbiased and evidence-based source of information about abortion care in the UK. It counters myths such as that abortion causes infertility, breast cancer and mental illness. The FSRH-RCOG abortion leaflet is officially endorsed by PHE, Sex Education Forum and PSHE Association.
• The Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare (FSRH) is the largest UK professional membership organisation working at the heart of sexual and reproductive health (SRH), supporting healthcare professionals to deliver high quality care. It works with its 15,000 members, to shape sexual reproductive health for all. It produces evidence-based clinical guidance, standards, training, qualifications and research into SRH. It also delivers conferences and publishes the journal BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health in partnership with the BMJ.

For further information please contact:
Camila Azevedo
FSRH External Affairs & Standards Manager
Email: externalaffairsmanager@fsrh.org
Telephone: 02037945309