Chairs of five parliamentary Committees back calls for SRE

The chairs outlined their regret that the Government’s response to the Committee’s report had failed to “seize the opportunity” to announce plans for compulsory SRE. The letter urged the Secretary of State for Education to consider the consequences of failing to act, citing findings from the Women & Equalities report on sexual harassment in schools:

“[…] sexual harassment and sexual violence in schools is having an impact on young people and school life. Consequences include: physical and emotional harm, including teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases; girls feeling unable to fully participate in educational and extra-curricular opportunities; […] and young people developing a sense that sexual harassment and sexual violence are acceptable behaviours and learning social norms that are carried through to adult life.”

The full letter is available here: www.parliament.uk/documents/commons-committees/Education/Correspondence/Chairs-letter-to-Secretary-of-State-re-PSHE-status-29-11-2016.PDF

Read more about the campaign for compulsory, high-quality Sex and Relationships Education here: srenow.org