What Should They Know – Adolescence

              By this stage young people should be supported to:

• Develop communication skills for healthy, comfortable relationships
• Explore feelings & emotions
• Explore their own sexual and gender identity gender and sexuality without labelling or harm
• Delay first time sex until ready
• Resist peer & media pressure
• Develop confidence to make positive choices about sex, including the choice not to have sex
• Develop negotiation skills around what feels right & safer sex
• Be able to critically evaluate messages around sex, such as those found in pornography
• Gain accurate information around contraception, Sexually Transmitted Infections and local services
• Recognise that sex can and should be mutually pleasurable