Poor sex education leaves some children clueless about the birds and bees

• Young people learn about sex ed through porn and the internet 
• There are no minimum standards for sex ed in schools 
• In three years, STIs have increased 20 per cent among young people 

Teen pregnancy could be on the rise with the lack of sex education in some schools. Picture: Fox Searchlight, from the film 'Juno'.

Young people are at risk of unwanted pregnancies because of inadequate sexual education, an expert says. 
CHILDREN can miss out entirely on sexual education because there's no minimum standard, experts warn. Dr Joanne Ramadge, Sexual Health and Family Planning Australia's chief executive officer, said with no national standard for sex education too many children are not getting comprehensive sex education and some may miss out altogether.

She warned inadequate education led to risky behaviour and could lead to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.

"Most schools have some element of what we used to call sex ed but it's often not well done, it's often not structured, it doesn't very often meet the needs of the young people,” she said.

"I'm sure it's possible (for children to leave school without sex ed). There's nothing that says schools have to provide it, or provide it a certain way.

"Especially with a mobile population. If they confine sex ed to one class at a certain age, children might … go to another school, it's quite possible that they'll miss out.”

Dr Ramadge said that sometimes teachers might not be properly trained, or might be uncomfortable teaching children about sex.

"Until it's part of a national curriculum it's hit and miss,” she said.

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A study released earlier this year by the Australian Youth Affairs Coalition and the Youth Empowerment Against HIV/AIDS found there had been a 20 per cent increase in sexually transmitted infections among people aged 15-29 over the past three years.

They also found almost as many young people learn about sex through pornography as through their parents, and that the internet was the most common source of information.

AYAC deputy director (young people) Maia Giordana, at the time of the report's release, said in some schools sexual education was "not really happening at all”.

The report recommended a minimum national standard, and for sex education to be taught from Year 5 to Year 12.

Dr Ramadge said gaining knowledge about sex and risky behaviour - such as drugs and drinking which can lead to unsafe sex, sexually transmitted infections and unwanted pregnancies - was crucial early in life.

A Health and Physical Education "shape paper" which will guide the Federal Government's draft national curriculum, due to be finalised next year, has sexual education components.

The changes associated with puberty will be taught from Year 5, while other subjects will be included later on. Sexuality and reproductive health will be a "focus area" of the national curriculum.

A spokesman for the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority said the Health and Physical Education shape paper was the "product of extensive consultation with educators, experts, and the community".

"The feedback we've received is also being used to guide the writing of the draft curriculum," he said.

"Once the draft curriculum is released ACARA will again give the public a chance to respond to what ACARA proposes that young people will learn in health and physical education."