Prevention, promotion and adolescent sexuality: The politics of school sex education in England and Wales

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Abstract
This paper provides an overview of the political and policy framework that has shaped British school sex education in recent years. The paper traces the origins and evolution of sex education as a policy issue in England and Wales, arguing that this process avoided publicly confronting questions concerning the aims of such interventions, leading to a lack of co-ordination and clarity in terms of policy and practice. The paper focuses on the recent politics of sex education from the politicization that took place under the Thatcher government, through the introduction of the National Curriculum, to recent changes in the 1993 Education Act. The paper concludes by reflecting on the tensions that have thwarted the development of a coherent and pragmatic response to adolescent sexual activity and considers opportunities for future interventions that balance the concerns of policy makers and politicians with the needs of young people themselves.

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