When is the Right Time to Teach Kids About Sex And Sexuality?

It’s been more than a quarter of a century since Ireland’s primary school curriculum was last overhauled. Now, from next year, a new syllabus will be phased in across every primary and special school in the country. For the first time, 5th and 6th class pupils will learn about sexual orientation - a topic absent from the current curriculum. Puberty education will begin earlier, reflecting the reality that many children now experience it long before secondary school. Consent will also be introduced, not in a sexual context, but as part of teaching children that they have the right to set boundaries and say no. The aim is to prepare children for the lives they are already living, lives shaped by earlier puberty, smartphones, online influences, and the pressures of growing up in a far more connected world. But critics argue there are glaring gaps, particularly the absence of any discussion of gender identity, and questions remain about how schools of different ethos will deliver these lessons in practice. Psychologist Dr Elaine Byrnes joins Ciara to discuss what’s in — and what’s missing — from this long-awaited update to the way Irish children are taught about their bodies, their feelings, and their relationships.  Plus Josh Crosbie talks to people on the streets of Cork City about their responses to the reform of sex education in school. Got thoughts on this episode? Email us at [email protected].