Understanding the Facts

Below are some facts about sexual health education. These facts highlight why this information is so important for your child’s overall health and development.

• In a 2014 study, 69.2% of Alberta high schoolers thought it is more normal for teenagers to engage in sexual activity than not to ¹.
• According to the Health Behaviours in School-aged Children Study, a 2020 survey of Canadian teens, 13% of grade 9 students and 26% of grade 10 students reported having had sex ².
• Teens want to learn about sex from someone they trust and stated that a parent or teacher would be someone they trust ¹.
• Education and programs to improve teen sexual health do work. Teens are more likely to delay their first sexual experience with a partner. They’re also more likely to use condoms and other birth control ^{3, 4, 5}.
• Research shows that parent-child communication about sexual health can positively affect teen sexual behaviour ^{7, 8, 9}.
• Programs that gave children the correct information at the right age showed that they had sexual intercourse later and used condoms more often ⁶.
• Programs that taught abstinence-only didn’t delay intercourse, prevent pregnancy or prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs) ^{5, 6}.
• Many parents support comprehensive, school-based sexual health programs. They see schools as having knowledge and correct sources of information for their kids ^{7, 8}.
• Most parents want to play a role in their child’s sexual health education. Some parents said that they wanted to give their children the information they wished their parents had given them ^{11, 12, 13}.
• Parents report that school-based sexual health education makes it easier for them to talk with their children. They felt it created realistic chances for them to talk and share information at home ^{10, 14}.
• Studies show that most parents feel that talking with their children protects them from STIs and unintended pregnancy ^{14, 15}.
• Teens would rather get their sexual health information from their parents than from other sources. Many saw their parents as reliable sources of information and felt that their parents had their best interests in mind ^{10, 16}.
• Teens report that they don’t trust the internet to give them the correct information. They said they use it to confirm what their parents, teachers or peers have told them ¹⁷.