Sexual health education for children and youth is important for teaching body safety, healthy relationships, understanding gender-based violence and discrimination and promoting sexual safety to prevent unintended outcomes.
The importance of sexual health education for children & youth
Talking to children as early as pre-school age about sexual health is important because it helps them understand their bodies and start to understand how to stay safe. Sexual health education can allow young people to identify their values and develop skills that promote healthy decision making and sexuality. Sexual health education includes learning how to develop positive relationships with oneself and others and helps prevent exploitation, violence and unintended outcomes of engaging in sexual activity. Learn how to be an askable adult and tips for speaking to children or youth about sexual health here.
Body safety
Body safety teaches children about their bodies by using anatomically correct language and speaking about appropriate touching. This allows families to start having open, honest conversations with children about their bodies and can promote body positivity. It also helps protect children from sexual predators by giving them tools to feel empowered to talk to a trusted adult if they feel something has happened.
Promoting healthy relationship skills
Teaching children and youth how to have healthy relationships, including friendships, is an important aspect of health. See resources and more information here.
Preventing gender-based violence and discrimination with sexual health education
Providing education to young people about sexual health is an important way to prevent gender-based violence and discrimination.
Sexual safety and unintended outcomes
Talking to kids and teens early about how to stay safe can help delay sexual activity and prevent unintended outcomes. It is important for kids and teens to learn how pregnancy happens, how to use protection like condoms and birth control and how to prevent infections and diseases that spread through sex.
For information for youth on how to access sexual health services within Fraser Health click here.