Skip to main content
Loading…

Chamber and committees

Improving Healthy Relationships Education in Scotland

  • Submitted by: Martin Whitfield, South Scotland, Scottish Labour.
  • Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 February 2026
  • Motion type: Standard Motion
  • Motion reference: S6M-20762

That the Parliament recognises what it sees as the importance of healthy relationships this Valentines Day; further recognises what it sees as the importance of consistent, relevant and age-appropriate Relationship, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) education for children and young people in Scotland; acknowledges the role of RSHP in helping children and young people recognise healthy and unhealthy behaviour, preventing abuse and neglect and building positive school cultures; believes that the actual education RSHP children and young people in the South of Scotland and across the country receive can be patchy, inconsistent and fail to cover the topics that they need to know about; appreciates that refreshed RSHP guidance has recently been published but understands that Scotland remains the only part of the UK where this vital aspect of the curriculum is not underpinned by statute; welcomes the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children Scotland’s (NSPCC) Read Write Relationships campaign, which calls for mandatory RSHP provision, and supports action to ensure all children and young people’s right to effective RSHP is recognised and realised.


Supported by: Foysol Choudhury, Liam McArthur, Carol Mochan, Mercedes Villalba