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Effective: 4/22/2025

C7.41 Sexuality Education and Prevention of Pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Legal Authority

Introduction

​​​Sexuality education includes topics such as anatomy, intimate relationships, sexual reproduction, sexually transmitted infections, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender identity, abstinence, contraception, and reproductive rights and responsibilities. The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that developmentally appropriate, evidence-based education about sexuality and sexual reproduction provided by pediatricians, schools, other professionals, and parents or caregivers is important to help children and adolescents make informed, positive, and safe choices about healthy relationships, responsible sexual activity, and their reproductive health. Sexuality education also helps to prevent adolescent pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and sexually transmitted infections for children and adolescents. This is especially important for children and youth in out-of-home (OOHC) care who may be at higher risk for early pregnancy, unsafe sexual relationships including trafficking, and engaging in risky behaviors. It is also important that this information is reiterated, appropriate to age, throughout child and adolescent developmental stages.  

Practice Guidance

  • ​To be effective, sexuality education cannot be a one-time provision of information, but includes ongoing access to accurate, evidence-based information from professionals or trusted adults;
  • Sexuality education begins in early childhood with teaching children accurate names of body parts, providing information about touches that are okay and those that are not, and giving permission to set boundaries or say no to being touched by others, including adults;
  • It is important for the SSW to ensure that the child or youth is receiving age-appropriate sexuality education regardless of age. It cannot happen too soon, but should be appropriate to age and development;
  • Pediatricians, local health departments, educators, school social workers, therapists, private child placing (PCP) or residential staff, independent living or transitional services staff, foster parents or other caregivers are all part of the child’s or youth’s support system who may assist with ensuring youth have access to information and a safe space to discuss issues related to sexual health.  

Procedure

​The SSW:
  1. ​Ensures youth has received and continues to receive age-appropriate information regarding: 
    1. ​​Human anatomy, puberty, and reproductive health;
    2. Healthy sexual development, including preventing abuse and high-risk behaviors;
    3. Pregnancy prevention, including how to access contraceptives; 
    4. Prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV/AIDS prevention; and 
    5. General information about gender identity and sexual orientation, including where to access supports.
  2. ​Documents provisions of information ​and source when it occurs or becomes known. 


Footnotes​

Documents

Revisions

​4/22/2025

Sexuality education includes topics such as anatomy, intimate relationships, sexual reproduction, sexually transmitted infections, sexual activity, sexual orientation, gender identity, abstinence, contraception, and reproductive rights and responsibilities. The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that developmentally appropriate, evidence-based education about sexuality and sexual reproduction provided by pediatricians, schools, other professionals, and parents or caregivers is important to help children and adolescents make informed, positive, and safe choices about healthy relationships, responsible sexual activity, and their reproductive health. Sexuality education also helps to prevent adolescent pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and sexually transmitted infections for children and adolescents. This is especially important for children and youth in out-of-home (OOHC) care who may be at higher risk for early pregnancy, unsafe sexual relationships including trafficking, and engaging in risky behaviors. It is also important that this information is reiterated, appropriate to age, throughout child and adolescent developmental stages.  
Practice Guidance 

  • ​To be effective, sexuality education cannot be a one-time provision of information, but includes ongoing access to accurate, evidence-based information from professionals or trusted adults;
  • Sexuality education begins in early childhood with teaching children accurate names of body parts, providing information about touches that are okay and those that are not, and giving permission to set boundaries or say no to being touched by others, including adults;
  • It is important for the SSW to ensure that the child or youth is receiving age-appropriate sexuality education regardless of age. It cannot happen too soon, but should be appropriate to age and development;
  • Pediatricians, local health departments, educators, school social workers, therapists, private child placing (PCP) or residential staff, independent living or transitional services staff, foster parents or other caregivers are all part of the child’s or youth’s support system who may assist with ensuring youth have access to information and a safe space to discuss issues related to sexual health.  
The SSW:
  1. ​Ensures youth has received and continues to receive Facilitates provision of age-appropriate instruction information regarding: 
    1. ​​Human anatomy, puberty, and reproductive health;
    2. Healthy sexual development, including preventing abuse and high-risk behaviors;
    3. Pregnancy prevention including how to access contraceptives; 
    4. Prevention of sexually transmitted infections including HIV/AIDS prevention;and 
    5. General information about gender identity and sexual orientation including where to access supports the prevention and treatment of reproductive illness or disease; 1
  1. Documents provisions of information and source when it occurs or becomes known:  
    • The type of instruction; 
    • Who provided information to the child; and 
    • When the instruction occurred.
  1. Others who may provide the information include: the child’s school staff, family resource/youth services center (FRYSC) staff, health care providers, local health department, Independent Living Coordinator (ILC) or other appropriate source.