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The Road Less Travelled: The Journey to Meaningful and Empowering Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Irish Schools

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Sex and Sexualities in Ireland

Part of the book series: Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences ((GSSS))

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Abstract

Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important element in the holistic education of children and adolescents. RSE is by nature multifaceted, and therefore, the focus of this chapter is on RSE in the school context. Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) provides the curriculum context within which young people can learn about important physical, social, emotional and moral issues around relationships, sexual health, sexuality and gender identity. This chapter discusses the introduction of RSE to the Irish curriculum and the ongoing National Council for Curriculum and Assessment’s (NCCA) RSE review. The role of curriculum redevelopments, national strategy and policy is considered, along with the implementation of RSE in schools, as highlighted in existing research studies. The international context, approaches and the recently published RSE/SPHE toolkits are also referenced. Potential RSE challenges and barriers are acknowledged, with recommendations for an effective delivery of RSE in Irish primary and post-primary schools.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Human Development, DCU Institute of Education, Dublin, Ireland

    Seline Keating

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  1. Seline Keating
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Correspondence to Seline Keating .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Sociology, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

    Barbara Górnicka

  2. School of Humanities, South East Technological University, Waterford, Ireland

    Mark Doyle

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Keating, S. (2023). The Road Less Travelled: The Journey to Meaningful and Empowering Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in Irish Schools. In: Górnicka, B., Doyle, M. (eds) Sex and Sexualities in Ireland. Genders and Sexualities in the Social Sciences. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36550-8_7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36550-8_7

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-36549-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-36550-8

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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