The country’s biggest sexual health charity has published a sex education
pamphlet for six-year-olds to encourage earlier discussion of the facts of
life.
The 12-page comic-style booklet, which will be distributed to schools, asks
children to identify the physical differences between boys and girls and
name their body parts properly.
One puzzle asks children to draw a line from the words “vagina” and “testicles”
to the correct areas of a picture of a naked girl and boy.
The pamphlet from the FPA — formerly the Family Planning Association —
entitled Let’s Grow with Nisha and Joe, which will be shown to
pupils by schools unless parents opt out, was immediately condemned by
family campaigners as “a very worrying development”. They said that years of
sex education had done nothing to tackle the teenage pregnancy rate, still
the highest in Europe, and starting the education even earlier would make
the problem worse.
The FPA countered that 6 was not too young to start conversations about sex.
On the contrary it was a good chance to get the conversation going because
children were not self-conscious or embarrassed about their bodies at that
age.
“The booklet answers the questions that six-year-olds are already asking about
themselves, their families and the world around them,” said Julie Bentley,
chief executive of the FPA.
“Introducing ideas about love, relationships and body names at a very basic
level, when children are inquisitive and want to learn, lays a foundation
for learning when they’re much older and ready to find out more.”
The FPA hopes primary schools that have shied away from lessons on sex and
relationships will use the pamphlet as a basis for lessons. It also hopes
that it will encourage parents to talk to children about what will happen to
their bodies when they grow up.
But critics say that sex education has not worked and that a new approach that
focuses on values rather than biology is required.
“Where has the last 20 years of propagating value-free sex education got us?
The FPA seem to think that by doing the same thing with younger and younger
children they are going to get a different result. Actually they are going
to reap the whirlwind,” said Trevor Stammers, a GP and trustee of the Family
Education Trust.
“There is a constant emphasis on biological knowledge and an absence of
understanding that feelings can be hurt and sex outside a loving
relationship leads to damage and retreat.”
The publication comes as ministers review the way that sex education lessons
are provided in schools. Under the present rules the only statutory
requirement made of primary and secondary schools is that they teach
children the basic facts about human reproduction in their biology
lessons.Many schools do much more during personal, social and health
education (PSHE) lessons, but standards vary widely and teachers often lack
training and materials. Parents are allowed to withdraw their children from
these lessons although all must attend the science classes that deal with
sex.
Ministers will explore whether sex lessons as part of PSHE should be
statutory, and start earlier. They are also looking at whether parents
should retain the right to withdraw their children from these lessons.
The debate is highly polarised. The FPA and other sex education campaigners
say that good sex education, similar to that taught in the Netherlands and
Scandinavia, is the only way to tackle the increase in sexually transmitted
diseases and reduce the teenage pregnancy rate.
Family campaigners say that the present approach to sex education has achieved
nothing. “We are deeply concerned with what is going to come out of this
review, with fewer and fewer rights for parents,” Dr Stammers said. “The
doctrine of ‘if it feels right for you, do it’ has been disastrous, simply
leading to younger and younger teenagers having sex, with the risk that it
damages their ability to develop relationships later in life.”
Case study: ‘The pictures make it work’
Gayle Sawyer, 41, says the questions are coming thick and fast from her
daughter, Josie, about the body.
Mrs Sawyer said: “Now that she’s 6 there are more and more questions. This
booklet is really useful in helping to explain the differences between boys
and girls, which is what most of the questions are about. The good thing
about it is that it is interactive and attractive to look at, there are
pictures to colour in and puzzles to do. If it had just been words on a page
it would not have been so helpful.
“To be honest I thought it was a bit simplistic for six to seven-year-olds.
But it was the first time we called things by their proper name. She got a
bit stuck on drawing lines between the words and the bodies.”
Mrs Sawyer, a public relations consultant who lives in South London, said that
some parents may balk at using words such as “vagina” and “testicles” with
their six-year-olds. “But I think it’s good that they know the biological
names. Some people might think it is too advanced for six-year-olds, but not
everyone uses the same [identifying] slang words.”
Parents are supposed to teach their children, not the government through the use of their schools. It is up to a parent when their child is ready to learn of such things not the government or some foundation. After all, they know their child better than anyone else.
Brad, Kentucky, USA
This is a fabulous idea.
As an Education consultant for Sex and Relationships education I must say to those of you that are panicking...we do not teach 6 year olds about sex...excuse my ignorance, but calling a body part what it is, is hardly about sex or robbing a child of their innocence.
2008!
sally, bedfordshire, uk
What do you say when your children ask what boys got that girls haven't? For them it's no different to wanting to know that you call an arm an arm. I got tired of calling a penis a willie. So silly.
Katja, Tonbridge,
There is a big difference between sex and naming body parts. Knowing or not knowing the name is not the catalyst in having ornothaving sex. Whats in a name. Bodies are not abhorrant. They belong to us. I am not a peaodophile, I understand boundaries, I think this will protect children. nothurt them.
mary, chesham, uk
i think its disgusting and when my daughter gets to hat age i will NOT allow the school to give her this panthlet. i want my little girl to be a little girl. she doesnt need to know about that until he is much older. its disgraceful.
donna smith, telford, england
A child loses its innocence not when it learns about sex, but when its natural expectations of not being treated unfairly or unkindly are violated.
The overwrought reactions of many here reveal great confusion about sexuality. They would rather pretend it didn't exist than deal with it sensibly.
Erik Kowal, KS, USA
My post re me being raped by various 'grown-ups' aged mid to late 20, me 11-12 had not 1 reaction Sad, as that's exactly the consequence of no sex education by my parents I was 14 when I got my 1st period & thought I was dying - so scared! S'pose I was lucky, raped & not pregant. Parents- just THINK
Lianne, Trowbridge,
My 5-yr old daughter knows that daddy and her (younger) brothers have penises and she has a vagina, cos she asked what they're called. Couldn't be simpler. And anyone who thinks she is anything other than a lovely tiny innocent little girl is nuts or ill.
chris, london, England,
Isn't Socialism great, what do you know about bringing up your own children? Big Brother will show you.
Do these people have any morals? I doubt it !
Joe, Gulf Breeze, Florida, USA
many parents seem to confuse knowledge with a loss of innocence. The problem with teaching en masse is that so many of them are not ready.
Catherine, london,
Erm yes thats exactly what knowledge is as soon as you know YOU are RESPONSIBLE for what you do with that knowledge. they shouldnt be ready.
bami afolabi, malvern,
surely preventing the misery of teenage abortion and struggling young mothers is more important than lego.
Melanie, Leeds,
erm no its not. encouraging creativity is a lot more important than what happens to the vast minority of teenage girls
bami afolabi, malvern,
"cant we let children be children" What does that mean? Sex, violence, drugs... all rife in post war Britain... kids have always had sex... 30 odd years ago it was happening but simply swept under the carpet and forced adoptions were in place...
Hj, london, uk
And as for Steve of London (puritanical parents) - if you want to talk to your children about sex, feel free, but how would you like it if I imposed my approach to raising children on your family? It's just none of your business
jac, london,
More and more sex education over the last 20 years has not seen the teenage pregnancy rate decrease - rather increase!
Let children be children, 11 is perfectly early enough to start knowing about these things.
If you want to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate, withdraw state benefits and flats!
A, Leicester, UK
Sex education should be a constant process from young childhood to maturity, with the risks and benefits being consistently underlined in multiple forums for discussion. Sexuality is a personal choice, and by reducing the mystery, teenagers are less likely to have sex for status.
Nikita Beresford, Durham, UK
Completely irresponsible. As a police officer, I recently dealt with a case where a ten year old boy had sex with a six year old girl. Sex between children happens. Sex should not be on any agenda for young children.
SH, Abergavenny, gwent
This is crazy. Are children not allowed to be children any more? The teenage pregnancy problem is due to lack of parental guidance, role model, respect and too many available benefits, not lack of sex education. I am a single parent (divorced), my 19 yr old is perfectly normal.
Karen Cross, Gravesend, UK
What will this 'nanny' government department think of next?
Derek Clifton, Andover, Hampshire, England
In an ideal world sex ed would be left to parents, who would answer their children questions about where babies come from honestly and appropriately. Instead many parents seem to confuse knowledge with a loss of innocence. The problem with teaching en masse is that so many of them are not ready.
Catherine, london,
I was recently told by a 10-year-old boy that babies came out of a woman's bum. Ignorance is NEVER good. Our children need information. Teenage girls in America don't even know how they got pregnant.
Adele Winston, Barnet, UK
As an ex FPA and The Brook Advisory Clinic nurse, I am apalled by the ignorance expressed here.I have 3 adult children who had every question answered in a calm honest way.None of my children had early sexual experimentation, they knew about risks of pregnancy, disease, emotions & responsibilities!
Madeleine, Worcester, UK
Kids will be naturally curious at this age. I think that if parents acknowledged and did not shy away from this, the children would be more comfortable at a later age when they are ready to learn the facts, and they might even take what they are taught on board. Handing them pamphlets will not help.
Oisin Haywood, Holywood, Northern Ireland
At 6, a boy's testicles haven't even descended. How can a diagram have any meaning if it doesn't relate to your own body?
Max, London,
Perhaps the authorities should check the hard drives of all the committee members and backers of this effort. I wouldn't be surprised of they were to find quite a few paedophiles among their members.
The government should stay out of parents' responsibilities. People over there are too nannied.
Jim, San Francisco, USA
I had a how the body works book when I was six years old that explained everything from digestion to intercourse. It meant I knew what everything was for, but I was six years old and a long way from being sexually active! I wasn't running out to try and have sex with other six year olds!
Ben, London,
Good on you Megan of Prestwick. If only these puritanical Parents realised how liitle practical information and guidance they get ffrom these lessons, and how all these parents that will impart this important life skill to their children are invariably to embarrassed or just as ignorant of the fact
Steve, London,
Ok if it has to be then let us move down this road, but also start from the ages of 12 to 13 to educated more about sexually transmitted disease, the risks of multiple partners and its ever growing statitistics
Mark Harris, Swansea ,
Having always had an open relationship with my parents, and these sorts of questions being encouraged, and answered I was armed with the facts and did not have sex until I was mature enough to cope with it (and no I wasn't 14/15!). Surely anything that encourages discussion can only be positive!
Jenny, Manchester,
The best way to teach children about sex is to show the reproductive life of animals. It preserves some innocence until they extrapolate to humans later.
Redandover60, Hayes, Middlesex, England
The Family Education trust promotes an abstinence approach to sex education, of course their going to be against what seems to be to be a very meassured and sensible idea. Britain's children need more and better sex education not protecting from something they will all encounter.
Sam Mawson, London, UK
I think this is a great idea, it takes away the mystery so they are not tempted to experiment yesterday. C Heathcote, Reading, writing and Maths are taught every day, maybe if parents did a better job bringing up their kids teachers wouldn't have to do it for them! Children today learn from TV - sad
Ella, London,
Wait until the Yanks wake up it'll all be Obama's fault.
Ian, Stanmore, UK
"If God had wanted us to be Scandinavians he'd have us speaking Scandinavian and wearing elks."
Kiera Hardie, Kennaquhair,
And the award for the smartest comment of the day goes to...
Alicia, London,
Any chance of allowing children to be children again?
Pete, St Albans, England
FPA claim UK has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy and yet they think this can resolve the problem. Our problem today is that they introduced sex education to teenagers a couple of decades ago and this is the result! Is it now our innocent children's turn? God helps this country and its kids!
Franco, London, UK
Hi, I wonder why comic-style booklet, why not just a booklet?
The fact is that parents' sexuality is shocking for children, and vice versa.
anna, Podgorica, Montenegro
Likely to be rejected by a majority of parents for no other reason than:
1. The traditional stuffy British attitude towards sex.
2. That those very same parents "WELL WE NEVER HAD IT AND I AM ALRIGHT" attitude.
Heaven forbid we should embrace change and allow our kids to learn by OUR mistakes.
Darren , Colchester, England
I am so angry that someone would even think about teaching m 6 year old sex education. I have a six year old. I also am a school nurse. I relize what kids are being exposed to and I know the problems they are facing. Teaching kids about sex at an earlier age is not the answer.
Rob, Tyler, USA
Get ready for the new generations of babies having babies, you tell a child something, what do they do, they have a play. they play play and play some more. this country already has an epedemic of underage mothers, now the it'll just be a catastrophe.
Barnabus, manchester, UK
I suppose the so called "family lobby" only has the talk about where babies come from when the "kid" turns 18 & his "fragile" mind won't be "blown to pieces" by simple facts of nature? Utterly ridiculous. 6-7 is the normal age to question these things, there is nothing "horrifying" about this.
Tom, London,
Perhaps talking to children about sex when they're young will help them be more comfortable talking about it when they're older. Sex was a taboo subject in our household and as a result I still feel shy about it. Perhaps it's the parents embarrassment to talk about sex that's getting in the way?
Kerry, Derby,
"If it feels right for you..do it" could possibly be a contender for the epitaph for British society. It has far reaching implications in many of this centuries' trends to marvel at discoveries of how wrong God is to have inspired the writing of the bible. The truth is, sadly for some, He was not.
Chris Buttrick, Hull, England
To talk about the simple mechanics of sex misses the point that sex is not just about the physical act - it is also about the emotional commitment - children need to grow up with a sense of self-respect (and respect for others) - simplistic pamphlets like this are likely to leave them open to abuse.
Father Ignatius Brown, London, England
I don't think educating 6-year-olds is likely to increase the pregnancy rate. How many 6-year-olds are fertile?
Alex, Newcastle,
@Neil, Jakarta. Well, sorry to disappoint you Neil, in fact I have a 3 year old son and with all the nonsense surrounding the English "educational" system I am planning to move to another country before my son reaches primary school.
Nick, Birmingham,
We're a sex-obsessed society in which every product you can name is sold in a sexual context. Little girls are being dressed as tarts, 'celebrities' sell their 'sex secrets' and papers routinely pep up sales with sleaze. What possible harm can this staid leaflet do against this lurid background?
anne, bournemouth,
Not helping youngsters whose own parents are too ignorant/embarrassed to explain sex and biology to them by withholding sex-related information at school benefits neither kids nor society
Well-structured, age-appropriate sex education teaches the facts and helps embarrassed parents get off the hook
Erik Kowal, KS, USA
Fascinating to read that Britain continues to be the same hypocritical place it always was. 25 years ago I had to go to Italy for some clear & sensible books to help me explain the facts of life to my 6 year old. Ironic that she might now soon need to do the same for her own little daughter!
Alastair Roy, London,
I find the outrage here ridiculous. Maybe if parents were themselves capable of openly discussing these things with their young children, no booklet would be needed. Openess brings a more natural relation to sex and is not like the over-sexing that happens through ignorance and unauthorized sources.
Katy, Midlands, UK
FPA's idea is abusive. Children should get honest answers to relevant questions if raise them/when real life situations warrant it in an easy going natural manner without such stuff being imposed on them by another PC industry for its own end. Facts are not to be hidden nor are to be force fed.
Andras, London, UK
They make me laugh "it has been taken out of context"
I have a 5 year old and yes they know bout nipples willies and front bottoms. I would hate it if she comes home from school saying look daddy this is my vagina.
If this will stop young mums were was this in the 50's!?!?!?!
David, Leicester, UK
This leaflet is not about having sex, it’s laying the foundations for openness in TALKING about sex. Not talking about it makes it all so secretive and exciting for the wrong reasons. If you forbid / suppress it, teenagers will do it anyway, but far less safely than in an accepting environment.
Jane, Gloucester,
Only information allows a more mature relationship to sex. I grew up seeing my parents naked in the bathroom,my mum explaining body parts and their functions to me, plus the child-friendly explanation of "sex", and I'm a well-educated 26yr old in a long-term relationship who didn't have sex til 18
Katy, Midlands, UK
If we want to reduce our appalling levels of teen pregnancy then behaving alittle more like our nordic cousins and a lot less like our American ones will work wonders.
Just take a look at teen pregancies around the developed world and match them against sex education. .
Thor Halland, Chonburi,
This is a fantastic idea. Children are naturally inquisitive about their bodies and refusing to face this head on only propagates the idea that our bodies are something to be ashamed of. Promoting openess WILL lead to fewer sexual problems because kids will be able to talk embarrassment-free!
Liv, Oxford, UK
Sex and the six year old.
Gawd, when are we going to put these tree huggers to rest.
The world is looking for paedophiles on line and England makes them into a committee.
f, Capreol, Canada
Stephen, this is about normal kids questions rather than hard core sex - what a silly comment.! My kids love fairies etc but do know about sex, periods etc yet in theri terms and to an apropriate limit. It's made them calmer and relaxed about things that they ask, not unacceptedly precocious.
jelli, birmingham, uk
Well done Stephen, an intellegent comment. I agree with Rele, the majority of parents today, get this stuff right.
Damian, London,
There is no evidence to indicate that this is will achieve anything useful.
There is evidence that lowering the age of teaching such topics (i.e. since the 60's/70's) does result in more teenage pregnancies.
Just a shame that common sense does not seem to be used much these days.
Bill, Knaresborough,
Cripes! Hark at this lot. We all know Larkin's "This Be The Verse", don't we, kids?
Irene Bujman, East Kilbride, Scotland
Its the Government that has encouraged teenage pregnancies by creating benefits careers for unmarried mothers.
Without seeing the pamphlets its difficult to form an opinion as to content, but certainly calling body parts by their correct names seems OK.
Peepee and tuppence indeed?
Bonce?
Dek Crossingham, Birmingham, England
Teaching a 6 yr old basic biology won't stop a teen pregnancy. Try responsibility training for and by parents. Teaching an 11 yr about inescapable consequences might be a good start. PC brigade need to learn that no-blame isn't the same as no-consequence and then teach that to kids.
KR, Stockport,
THis is sick, and anyone who promotes this filth is a nonce.
My children WILL have a childhood before they learn about what is entirely natural. But for them, it is fairies, pixies, magic, Santa and wonderment before hardcore sex.
Stephen Soos, Leicester,
It's a tiny percentage of girls who fall pregnant by mistake ....... all that has to be done to solve the problem of unmarried teenage mothers is remove Housing Benefit .
Richard, London,
The way that children are prepared for adult life should not be the decision of men and women in committees armed with survey results and data but by parents. Parents are not the bad guys here and a relatively small number of dysfunctional parents shouldn't shackle ALL loving, functional ones.
Rele, London, UK
This is discraceful, I would hope very much that the school obtained permission from the parents, if not as a parent i would withdraw my child from the school and seek legal advice regarding sexual abuse of the child.
Mike Smith, norwich, uk
First babyhood learning. Then childhood learning. Then young adulthood learning.
Corrupting little children into sex objects, is strange and paedophilic.
Parents answering their childish questions is normal.
Turning children into government approved 'slappers' is wrong.
Charlotte Peters Rock, Knutsford, England
Adding this to the proposed Homosexual sex education - equates to a Paedophile charter!
These people should be arrested and jailed and put on the Sex Offenders Register!
Mike, Newcastle, England
Spot on, Robret of Aberdeen. It will make it much easier to abuse chidren under the guise of 'explaining' and will encourage those children who already have an unhealthy interest in sex already, thus making it a lot more difficult to recognize the signs of abuse. It's not for govt, it's for families
Prue, Nantwich,
What worries me is that vagina is not the proper name for the external organ, it is the vulva. Other than that I'm all for teaching children about the proper names of their body parts through the use of pictures.
AM, London,
As another commented Im certainly not against sex education in schools. But liberals will push the issue such as they have done in Germany. Authorities there distributed a pamphlet to all schools that encourages father and child to explore each others genitalia. This is legalised paedophilia
Robert, Aberden, UK
The FPA are wrong. Its important to know our body parts & when old enough to understand to be taught about the processes of procreation. But this is the job of parents & focus should be given to educating them to do this properly in order to stop the spiral of ignorance that is the root cause here.
R Ray, Coulsdon,
Why are we so keen on depriving children of their childhood? Is learning to read and write, grasping the basics of mathematics and developing social skills not enough for a child to take on?
Richard, Marlow, UK
Similarly to Megan, I went through sex education in two schools in the mid-eighties and came out without even knowing what was between a woman's legs. Bring it on.
Chris Jackson, London,
I am not opposed to sex education. I am opposed to what lefty educationalists consider sex education. Young people should be taught responsibility. It's not enough to know it's called a vagina, you have to know what the consequences of using it are and you have to live with them.
Benedicta, Benidorm, Spain
Time to switch to home schooling...
Zecchetti, Bury St Edmunds, UK
My son at age 6 started asking about babies/how they were made. I found a very good book written for parents to explain to kids by Claire Rayner. It covered lots of family, physical, emotional topics. Aimed at older kids but it was excellent. 'Facts' & relationships shd be taught simultaneously.
Donna Walker, Effingham, England
Good old FPA. Chilren these days know abou the bits and pieces of the sexual parts of he anatomy. The poblem they face is in the time and place to have sexul intercourse. These are impotant emoional matters . Dagrams will be cartoons and are useless. Emotional support is required from professionals
Rodney Barker, Gainsborough, England UK
If you use replacement words for genitals - are you yet again lying to your children - who do they know to trust then?
Children learn by trial & error they also learn what not to do if you TEACH them!!
Sara, Gold Coast, Australia
So learning about the facts of life from a teacher is corruption & what parents teach their children is not - what a generalisation?
Tara, Gold Coast, Australia
Wouldn't it be nice if parents concentrated on raising their children, and left the reading, writing and mathematics to the teachers. Oh but parents know best - that is why we have an education system!!!
Sahra, Gold Coast, Australia
This leaflet is about biological names - not having sex! Year 2 teachers also teach programs like SEAL which discuss non sexual relationships, love and trust, building bricks for later education to older pupils about sex being part of a relationship, not a race to be "grown-up".
Diana, derby, uk
This is scary. This will not help small children it will simply confuse them. They are not mentally capable to handle a topic that young adults and adults have trouble understanding. I will fight this! My child will not be given this important life lesson from a comic book it will come from me.
Kamera, Rio rancho, United States
Nick, I suspect you don't have children. Our 2-year-old daughter wandered into the bathroom while I was having a shower and immediately asked what "that" was. Might as well be honest from the start!
Kiera, just in case you're not joking - have you ever had to explain your tuppence to a doctor?
Neil, Jakarta,
Something like this booklet is long overdue. Sex is as natural as anything and a knowledge of it is essential - at any age.
richard, bangkok,
If British people didn't think like the majority of those commenting on here about the whole sex education business, children would learn what they need to know. I say earlier the better, surely preventing the misery of teenage abortion and struggling young mothers is more important than lego.
Melanie, Leeds,
Schools should teach teenagers about contraception and STDs (teachers are not allowed to teach them at present). This is a terrible idea, myself and my wife will teach our young daughter the facts of life once she is ready. It's our choice not the government's
Kevin, Workington, Cumbria
I was raped repeatedly from 11 to 14. The worst bits, I thought, were the strangulations, drowning etc. Plain rape - as I found out years later that's what it was - from all the others, was just a relief Years later I know it was wrong but I feel a slapper always. Sex Education Please don't shy away
J, Trowbridge,
Wouldn't it be nice if schools concentrated on teaching reading, writing and arithmetic, and left the raising of the children to the parents. Oh, but of course, the state knows best.
C. Heathcote, Tonbridge,
Children of 6 and 7 find anything to do with sex and kissing yucky. They run a mile. Apart from learning the biological names for their 'privates' I can't see any value in this at all.
To prevent teenage pregnancies, try cancelling free housing and benefits for pregnant teens.
isabella, london,
"Horrifies" is a strong word to describe a reaction to something so mundane.
Liam, Stoke, UK
Thank God I don't have children to be corrupted by these lunatics. Is nothing sacred.
Norm, Newcastle, UK
Babies learn to talk by trial and error. Toddlers learn to walk in the same way. Will six-year olds now use trial and error to learn about sex?
Stuart Dickson, Palma, Mallorca, Spain
This is disgraceful. The words peepee and tuppence were good enough for my generation and they are good enough for modern litle boys and girls. If God had wanted us to be Scandinavians he'd have us speaking Scandinavian and wearing elks.
Kiera Hardie, Kennaquhair,
I graduated a Scottish secondary school in 2005: in the whole 6yrs our sex ed amounted to little more than two weeks of diagrams in the biology lab and a few "Just Say No!" classes with a guidance tutor. I learned more about sex from bad television. Lucky 6yr olds.
Megan, Prestwick, Scotland
One word, DISGUSTING!!!
Nick, Birmingham,