Children should be taught about sex from an earlier age as part of the bid to tackle teen pregnancy, according to a new report.
Holyrood’s Health and Sport Committee admitted the proposals would be “controversial” but claimed “the majority of parents…would welcome and support quality” school education as many feel ill-equipped to discuss sexual matters with their children.
In a report published today, the committee calls on the Scottish Government to develop a new teenage pregnancy national strategy.
MSPs heard the quality of sexual health education was “inconsistent” and needs to begin at an earlier age.
Members admit these measures alone are not likely to reduce teenage pregnancy and also recommend contraception be easily accessible to pupils as young as 13.
NHS Fife’s Dr Lorna Watson backed a Rape Crisis Scotland view that the easy availability of pornography encourages early and unsafe sexual activity, telling the committee there was “an issue to do with the values we are transmitting to young people.”
Convener Duncan McNeil said: “We can’t ignore that Scotland has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe, which has a long lasting impact on generations of young parents and their children.
“This is why today this committee is calling for a new strategy to tackle teenage pregnancy.”
Deprivation was cited as a major factor relating to the issue, with statistics showing teenage pregnancy rates in Scotland’s most deprived areas were five times that compared to the least deprived areas.
The report recommends policies to tackle teenage pregnancy are not developed in isolation but are part of the drive to solve wider inequalities.
Ann Eriksen, of NHS Tayside, told the committee professionals had not felt access to accommodation was a factor associated with under-16s falling pregnant but NHS Tayside research found some teen mums’ perception was they would be able to get their own accommodation and move out of the family home.
MSPs ruled out a controversial call for schools to offer emergency hormonal contraception such as the morning-after pill.