Parents told not to let youngsters sit on relatives’ knee
CHILDREN should not be told to sit on a relative’s knee as part of new guidance for lessons on consent, designed to help protect youngsters from sexual abuse.
The advice for families – backed by NHS boards, Education Scotland, councils and the Scottish Government – aims to encourage “home support” for lessons on consent.
The guidance suggests parents need to consider that children may prefer to ask relatives for a wave or a handshake, instead of closer contact.
It states: “At home you can make sure you don’t tell your child they have to kiss someone goodbye or sit on someone’s knee – they can decide!”
But critics have already said the suggestion goes too far and encourages children to be suspicious of the motives of genuine relationships.
Chris Mcgovern, of the Campaign for Real Education, said: “The people who drew up this advice are the ones in need of help because they are dehumanising family relationships. This is a really sinister development. It’s appalling and shout sound alarm bells. There are occasional abuses, we know that, but this is completely unacceptable – and it’s also damaging to the child.
“Children need physical contact. It’s awful for the development of children to find that they are being encouraged to suspect the motives of loving relationships.”
The advice is tailored for parents of children in P2, P3 and P4 and is published as part of an online draft teaching resource, entitled Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood, drawn up by independent agency, TASC (Scotland).
The section on consent aims to help children understand that their body belongs to them, while the section for parents says: “You are your child’s first and most important teacher.
“With your child at school there is the opportunity for parents/carers and schools to work to help your child to learn. ‘My body belongs to me!’ This is the big message we want to get over to children at school.
“Children can learn that being touched is their choice. You can give your child the clear message that if anyone touches or tries to touch their private parts, they can tell you and they will never get into trouble for such a thing.”
A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, on behalf of the partnership behind the guidance, said: “It is likely the material will continue to evolve over the remainder of the academic year”.