Relationships and Sexual Health

Children and young people have the right to learn about their bodies, relationships, sexuality, sexual health and parenthood in age-appropriate ways to their age and stage of development.

Sexual health involves physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being, supported by respect, consent, and freedom from harm or discrimination. Sexuality is influenced by the interaction of biological, psychological, social, economic, political, cultural, legal, historical, religious and spiritual factors.

To help young people build healthy relationships, foundational skills must be developed throughout childhood. The foundation skills are not exclusive to RSHP, they apply across the CfE and are taught in the context of friendship and communication skills in the earlier stages of learning. Themes that help to build children’s learning about relationships throughout childhood include:

• Emotional wellbeing and help seeking behaviour
• Equality and inclusion
• Bodily autonomy, consent and protection from harm
• Parenthood and families
• Relationships and friendships

Vulnerable children, including those with disabilities or additional needs, should receive tailored support with their learning. Using inclusive, non-judgmental language will ensure all pupils feel valued. Learning should be age and stage appropriate and be supported at home.

Practitioners should be fully supported and trained in all aspects of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education to facilitate a confident delivery of high-quality learning experiences using educational materials that are up to date, age and stage appropriate and evidence based

Priorities for Relationships and Sexual Health 

Young people today face complex challenges in relationships and sexual health, intensified by the aftermath of COVID-19 and requiring coordinated multi-agency responses.

Key Trends:

• Teenage pregnancy is rising after 25 years of decline.
• Abortion service uptake has sharply increased.
• Fewer young people are accessing sexual health services.
• Use of hormonal contraception—especially long-acting methods—and condoms has declined.
• STI rates are rising, with gonorrhoea up 90% in under-20s over five years.
• More young people are accessing SARC services following rape or sexual assault.

Contributing Factors:

• Aggressive behaviours, including non-fatal strangulation, are being normalised in sexual relationships.
• Exposure to violent pornography starts early: 10% of 9-year-olds, 27% of 11-year-olds, and 50% of 13-year-olds report viewing it.
• Online activity increases risks of harassment, extortion, grooming, and tech-assisted abuse, with AI amplifying these threats.
• Sexual harassment and misogyny are widespread in peer groups, schools, and online spaces.
• Consent remains a difficult topic for young people to discuss and act on.

Wider Context:

• Cultural shifts include organised opposition to sexual and reproductive rights, amplified by online influencers in the “manosphere.”
• Adults—parents, carers, and professionals—often underestimate the scale of these issues and feel unsure about how to address them.
• Confidence is further undermined by online misinformation campaigns targeting RSHP education.

Call to Action: 

• This context underscores the urgent need for robust RSHP education in schools, supported by informed and confident parents, carers, and trusted adults.

 

Additional information

Scotland’s Health and Wellbeing Pupil Census 2021/2022 had a range of questions on relationships, sexual health and parenthood. Available here .

Priorities for Supporting Young People around Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood short video available here

The following resources have been developed and/or quality assured by the Glasgow City HSCP Health Improvement Team. 

Healthy Relationships: a Toolkit to support Primary-aged pupils

Stage: Primary 

Description: A four-part lesson toolkit and additional resources to help pupils aged 10 to 11 explore healthy friendships, emotional wellbeing and conflict resolution. 

Link to resource: here

Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood 

Stage: 3-18 years 

Description: The resource provides a comprehensive set of learning activities for use in early learning settings, primary and secondary schools, ASN settings, colleges and in community-based learning. The resource is structured in line with Curriculum for Excellence Levels. The learning activities support learning on a number of key themes, including physical changes, sexual health and sexuality, the role of parent/carer, and positive relationships.

Link to resource: Relationships, Sexual Health and Relationships  

 

Scottish Catholic Education Service – Health Education Resources and Guidance

Stage: Early Years to Secondary

Description: Over a number of years the Scottish Catholic Education Service has developed materials to offer support to parents and teachers on how to provide appropriate teaching, in line with the teachings of the Church.

Link to resource: here  

 

Keeping Mum

Stages: P5 - 7

Description: Keeping Mum is an educational film aimed at children in Primary 5-7 and the professionals who work with them on the impact of domestic abuse. Based on the play, Gold Stars and Dragon Marks (developed in 2008 by Baldy Bane Theatre with Scottish Government funding), the film was produced in 2018 with NHS Endowment funding. Keeping Mum, by Soundsmove Production, stars Still Game’s Mark Cox and Jane McCarry. It follows three children as they learn secrets about each other’s lives and negotiate the consequences of telling and not telling. It also looks at appropriate responses from parents/carers and professionals.

The Keeping Mum video is complimented by a teacher support pack which includes a lesson for pupils to accompany the film and further supporting resources and information. Teacher twilight CPD training on the resource is offered by Health Improvement.

Link to film resource and teacher pack: Gender Based Violence Resources - NHSGGC

 

Crush

Stage: S3

Description: Crush is an educational film aimed at S3 young people, addressing relationship abuse and exploitation.

When does care become control? Based on the stage play, Crush, which was developed in 2008 with Scottish Government funding, the film features four young people. It follows the development of an abusive relationship, looking at early warning signs, the role of bystanders and the impact.

The Crush video is complimented by a teacher support pack which includes a lesson for pupils to accompany the film and further supporting resources and information. Teacher twilight CPD training on the resource is offered by Health Improvement Link to film resource and teacher pack: Gender Based Violence Resources - NHSGGC

 

Awkward Moments

The 'Awkward Moments' campaign has been developed by a partnership of NHS Boards, Youthwork organisations and young people. The campaign aims to help Scottish people (aged 16-19) to recognise what good consensual intimate experiences can look like. The objective of the work is to provide support and increase confidence to start the important conversations around positive and mutual consent. Further information can be found here .

 

Other resources

Sandyford

Sandyford is the specialist sexual health services for Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Information for young people, parents and carers and where to access free condoms can be found on the website. Sandyford .

Hey Girls: My Period

Stage: Upper Primary to Secondary

Description: My Period is a new resource to help schools have positive conversations with their pupils about periods. The resource includes free lesson plans and activity ideas. If you would like to organise teacher training please contact: education@heygirls.co.uk

Link to resource: here

LGBT Inclusive Education

Stage: Primary and Secondary

Description: A one stop platform for teachers to access quality approved materials, resources, and professional learning linked to Scotland’s Curriculum to support the implementation of LGBT Inclusive Education.

Link to resource: click here

Rape Crisis Scotland and Zero Tolerance: Equally Safe at School: A Whole School Approach to Gender Based Violence Prevention

Stage:  Secondary

Description: Equally Safe at School has been developed to complement the ongoing Sexual Violence Prevention Work that is being delivered in schools across Scotland, from local rape crisis centres. The project aims to equip schools with the tools to challenge gender based violence and stereotypes, and promote equality.

Further information about the intervention and contact details can be found here

Sandyford for Young People Campaign 2023

This targeted campaign is aimed at 13-17 year olds in the Greater Glasgow & Clyde area. Our aim is to raise awareness of the sexual health services Sandyford provide in an approachable manner, to encourage young people to reach out to us for support. We would encourage share this information with young people informally or as a part of a structured input. View the campaign pack by clicking here

Talk PANTS resources

Stage: Primary and Secondary

Description: NSPCC have created these free Talk PANTS resources, which can be used to teach children the Underwear Rule to help keep them safe from abuse. The resources include a range of leaflets to help those with additional needs. 

Link to resource: PANTS resources for schools and teachers | NSPCC Learning

The national resource for Relationships, Sexual Health & Parenthood 

There is information here to support parents/carers to have conversations at home about the themes covered as part of RSHP education at school. Access the resource here  

The Chat 

This website currently contains view of parents/carers on a range of themes discussed as part of RSHP.  This is being further developed early to include information on topics/ themes identified by parents as areas where they would welcome ‘go to’ information. This new content will be available from September 2025. Access the website here 

Glasgow City Youth Health Service 

Support Service for young people/ family health and wellbeing (sexual health). Further information can be found here

The Glasgow City HSCP Health Improvement Team have pulled together a list of key strategy and policy links regarding children and young people. These documents should be used to inform planning and delivery within your classroom and school community.

These documents are a useful resource to build a knowledge base around current priorities and work around relationships and sexual health in Glasgow and across Scotland. Please note that clicking on these documents will take you to external websites.

Conduct of Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood Education in Scottish Schools

Equally Safe: Scotland's strategy to eradicate violence against women

National Action Plan to Prevent and Tackle Child Sexual Exploitation Update (2016)

Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Act 2021

Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy 2016-2026 

Sexual health and blood borne virus action plan: 2023 to 2026

“Someone to talk to and someone to listen” – Supporting young pregnancy women and young parents in school

Supporting transgender young people in schools: guidance for Scottish schools