Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education (2019) Released

 

News release

The Sex Information & Education Council of Canada (SIECCAN) is pleased to announce the release of the revised Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education. The development of the 2019 Guidelines, funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada, was informed by an extensive consultation with people working in the field of sexual health education and the input of 21 expert members of Working and Review Groups representing diverse fields.

This is the fourth edition of the Canadian Guidelines for Sexual Health Education. The Guidelines were first published in 1994 and most recently in 2008. The purpose of the Guidelines is to offer educators, program planners, and policy makers a clear understanding of the core principles, goals, key components, and settings for the delivery of comprehensive sexual health education in Canada.

There are a number of reasons why new Guidelines for sexual health education in Canada are necessary. There is a growing awareness that sexual health education programming for youth and people of all ages must address: the need to provide relevant and effective sexual health education tailored to the learning needs of LGBTQI2S+ people; consent related to sexual activity and the prevention of sexual and gender-based violence; and the widespread use of technology to communicate and learn about sexuality.

The new Guidelines consist of the following seven sections:

  • The Importance of Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
  • Core Principles of Comprehensive Sexual Health Education
  • The Determinants of Sexual Health and Well-Being
  • Goals and Key Components
  • Planning, Delivery, and Evaluation
  • Educators and Settings
  • Benchmarks for Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) Prevention and Linking to STI Testing Services in Schools

Download the guidelines.