2 July 2009

Earlier this year, the government confirmed its intention to make sex education compulsory in schools as part of the introduction of personal, social and health education to the National Curriculum.

This is because existing sex education often does not meet the needs of children and young people. Not only does the UK have one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Europe, but rates of sexually transmitted infections among young people are soaring.

A consultation on what the underlying principles of statutory sex education should be closes on 24 July.

But there is nothing like the subject of sex education to provoke sensationalist headlines in the tabloid press and the ire of some traditional faith groups - a reaction that can make it hard for professionals to discuss sex with young people.

The recently published Pleasure booklet is likely to add to the controversy (see p9). Produced by the Centre for HIV and Sexual Health at NHS Sheffield, it encourages professionals to discuss sexual pleasure with young people. It is frank, and at times explicit.

But Pleasure is no Kama Sutra for kids. Rather, it is an attempt to start a discussion about how professionals think about young people's emerging sexuality. The authors rightly argue that not talking about pleasure severely restricts the potential health messages within sex and relationships education.

In fact, not teaching young people that sex should be fun can do more harm than good. In an increasingly sexualised society, young people often feel under pressure to have sex before they are ready. They can lack the confidence to say no and wait. There are plenty of young people who will tell you that they wish they'd waited longer before having sex, or that they're having sex they don't really want.

Helping young people to see sex as a positive choice, something to do when they're ready and not because of peer pressure, helps develop their confidence. This, in turn, equips them to discuss and practise safe sex.

What's more, there's a strong child protection argument for discussing pleasure. If young people know that sex should be fun and consensual, they are more likely to be able to identify and report abuse, both by adults and other young people.

In short, the Pleasure booklet is a useful and important tool to help professionals think about why and how to teach young people that sex should be fun.

This article can be downloaded from the website::
www.cypnow.co.uk/opinion/ByDiscipline/Education/916738/joys-sex-explained/

Or access the PDF version here:
"Children and Young People Now" (458kb pdf)

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