Funny that because when my daughter was in 6th class they set out one week and received sex education. Of course us the parents had to say it was ok for her to receive the education. Tbh there wasn’t much there that she didn’t know. They went into the female reproductive system, hormones, breasts, puberty and so on, then the male reproductive system, wet dreams, shaving, puberty and so on, then they discussed sex, toys , protection, sti’s, fetishes, lesbians, gays, bibisexuals and relationships.

My daughter and I talk openly, I gave her a book to read that went into detail and told her any questions ask away, the only question she had at the end of the book was, where do you buy condoms?

I think the key to sexual health is talking openly with one’s children. They are naturally curious and need to he told the truth. The week the school devoted to sex ed was great. From what my daughter told me they covered everything.

Kids were told if they were to embarrassed to ask a question in class to ask their parents.

That sounds amazing! And sounds pretty similar to what the French learn in college, which is the first part of their post primary education. When I said “none” I was exaggerating a bit. We did have a nun (a nun!) come in and tell us about sexual reproduction in 6th class. She didn’t know much, as apart from the obvious lack of experience, she answered one of the anonymous questions by saying it was not normal for breasts to be tender during puberty, which worried us all so much until we gathered around in the yard a week later and admitted all our books were sore. Why a single teacher or parent didn’t correct her i don’t know. Then in 2nd year science we did the reproductive cycle again, which was reading through the chapter out loud in turns and if anyone giggled they were sent out.
This scientific approach to teaching it made sex seem even more weird and theoretical to me! In SPHE all we learnt was about drugs and mental health, both very important subjects, but I’m sure more 14 year olds are going to grow up to have lots of sex than to take lots of ketamine. The time is already available to the schools to teach, and I’m sure some do, but all should, unless of course some ill-advised parents say no and their kids are taken out.

*boobs

Very well said Paula, things are changing and advancing which is great.

Consent is something which is just not on the curriculum as part of SPHE

I really hope it’s advanced from what we got in 6th class (which was the only formal sex ed I ever got either).. Angela McNamara.. Told us girls in Ireland don’t get their periods til they’re 16, girls in hot countries get them younger (several of us got ours age 10, so this worried us), there was something else she told us that really irked my mother but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was..

A lot of schools have sex ed, my daughters school was not the exception.

Firstly though sex ed should be given by parents, children should be able to approach them with any questions or concerns they have.

Most kids here about the birds and bees on the playground and I didn’t want my daughter being given wrong or scary information on the playground. That’s why I brought up the topic before she hit puberty. Books are great too they don’t give the child any awkwardness, and then they can ask questions on what they don’t get.

A lot, again not all and not all the same, it varies to much even year to year in schools.
Again we need a national cirriculum.

Yes parents should be the first port of call for such info but many don’t have all the information or the language or feel comfortable having those talks.

There was such a program created but due to the ethos of the majority schools it can not be used or even distributed to parents, but it is available free online to any who wants it.

http://www.crisispregnancy.ie/publication/sex-education-resources/

Doctors fund their own compulsory ongoing medical education .

Celtic Lady… The fact the consultant/doctors fund their own ongoing learning is great. However, our country’s system is set up that advanced ongoing training isn’t regularly monitored. Unlike GB or the US, doctors are required by law to complete so many university medical credits/ seminars/research/publications during a 3 -5 year period. If this isn’t done, then their license to practice is held in question and their relationships with hospitals are limited.

Our present system leaves it up to doctors to side if their going to advance their medical knowledge. Then a committee governed by themselves does a random sampling of doctors records to determine if they have completed any ongoing training.

This isn’t good enough. Proof has shown that self-revulation doesn’t work in this country. Furthermore, I believe the practice of medicine isn’t where it should be in Ireland. Hence many of the wealthy seek procedures and hospitalization abroad.

It may be true that our doctors work diligently as saving lives… But if they are ignorant of new life saving procedures… Whose life are they saving?

Our cultural attitude that priests, lawyers and doctors are sacred must end. They are not infallible. When I see a doctor I prefer a guarantee that they are very knowledgeable of the advancements or smart enough to ask for assistance in the matrer.

No marlon. Since 2011 all doctors registered in Ireland must by law undertake and complete professional development . Each specialty has an educational overseeing body. Every year of a five year cycle , the doctor must return their log of their ongoing education , all of which has been pre approved as acceptable by the educational body. Failure to meet the strict requirements may result in censure or removal of the doctors licence to practice. Prior to that it was indeed voluntary but that system is gone.

Celtic Lady… I then stand corrected if this is so. An article printed in Irish Independent and on this website described how the UK were requiring doctors ongoing learning records to be reviewed more frequently by an independent group. The article further described the Irish system of review.

The article on this website stated that ongoing learning is required and reviewed. However, being the review process is not completed by and independent source and is done by random sampling of doctors. The process was flawed. The question was raised…. Should we put into place system similar to the UK’s system of monitoring and sanctions.

My apologies if my facts are incorrect.

No problem. On this we are ahead of UK.

Funny that you think they are up to speed with innovations and current best practice for what I have heard from friends and family certainly suggests other wise, esp when it comes to contraception.

To many GPs are still prescribing 2nd generation high dose combined oral contraceptive pills,
are telling women who are 35 they can no long be on the contraceptive pills,
keep saying IUD and IUS are only for women who have had children
and wouldn’t know what a nuvaring was if it landed on their desk.

No disrespect to hard working doctors of Ireland. I’m not confident that their medical knowledge is at the top of the scale. My personal experience has shown me so. For example… I went to two different doctors with the same minor treatable ailment. One doctor said the ailment would work itself out. The second doctor said he was insure whether the ailment was worth spending time on. And that I should live with the discomfort.

I told my parents in the states about the two differnt prognosis. My mother was alarmed. She demanded that I see a US doctor on my next trip to the states.

Needless to say that the doctor found this issue to be a bit more serious and related to cancer. The fact that I acted early. . With the US doctor’s advice and help I was able to resolve the issue.

All Irish doctors are not on their game. Being that doctors monitor themselves, if errors are made… They deal with them internally and secret. There is no rating system to grade doctors and there skill set to shop for the best doctors. You have to wait on a consultant to refer a person to a specialist. Beds are few in number. Equipment in some cases are dodgy (example: the errors in mammograms that caused several deaths). And they’ve bevun to close hospitals. Medical budgets are mismanaged. Leadership is piss-poor.

I love this country. .. However, if I should get seriously ill… I have made arrangements to be sent back to the US for medical assistance.

I shouldn’t have to do this. My hard earned taxes goes to support my care and my medical insurance should take of me here in Ireland.

But I have no confidence.