24 Jul, 2025
The Government has released updated RSE (Relationships and Sex Education) and Health Education guidance, to be implemented from September next year.
There is welcome inclusion of guidance on discussing the signs of domestic abuse and how to seek support; misogyny and incel culture; suicide and talking about loss. Education on domestic abuse and related subjects is vital for children and young people to grow up understanding what healthy relationships look like – although we believe it is a missed opportunity not to mandate this education for 16- to 18-year-olds – particularly as young people aged 16-24 are the highest percentage of victims of domestic abuse [Crime Survey for England and Wales: Office for National Statistics, 2024].
We especially welcome the reminder to teachers that [sexual] violence can occur to anybody regardless of their sex. We also welcome the recommendation that curriculum is developed within the context of a whole-school approach to wellbeing and positive relationships. As part of this, we would have liked to see inclusion of a trauma-informed approach, that recognises the high numbers of children experiencing domestic abuse within the home (1 in 5), and the ways in which this may intersect with their relationships in school and the wider community.
Our priority is that all children and young people feel seen and heard. This is vital for protecting children from harm, including from the harms of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse can and does occur in LGBTQ+ relationships. While mainstream conversations often focus on heterosexual relationships, it’s crucial to recognise that abuse knows no boundaries and can affect anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
We are therefore concerned that the distancing from education about transgender identity, as well as the guidance to refrain from discussing ‘gender identity’ may lead these young people to be excluded from education than can support positive relationships and help protect them from harm. The Trevor Project found that “non-accepting school environments” are associated with increased mental health challenges, particularly for gender non-conforming young people [2024 National Survey].
The LGBTQ+ Domestic Abuse charity Galop notes that “For young LGBT+ people experiencing abuse at home, schools are a key place to seek help and support – and may be the only place where they are safe from their perpetrators” [Trans schools guidance consultation submission]. LGBTQ+ people face specific challenges around domestic abuse, and it is essential that they can access education and support tailored to their needs. Furthermore, to comprehensively challenge gender stereotypes – something which the guidance encourages – it is vital that young people are free to discuss gender identity, and what this means to them. The guidance limits the extent to which this can be carried out, which risks reinforcement of binary gender norms and expectations, which can be harmful to people of any sex or gender identity.
For this guidance to truly model a ‘whole school approach’, there must be representation and inclusion of the experiences of all young people, and support for positive relationships across a diverse spectrum.
We also need to acknowledge the harm and abuse that many children and young people are experiencing within their homes, and ensure that any education around domestic abuse is within a wider safeguarding framework that ensures staff are trained to support children impacted by domestic abuse – whether in the home or within their own relationships.
