NEWS: Scotland First Country to Roll-out LGBT Inclusive Education

An LGBTI Inclusive Education Working Group was established in 2017 to improve LGBT young people’s learning experience and to address bullying and discrimination. The group made 33 recommendations, which the Scottish Government has accepted in full. The LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group, jointly chaired by COSLA and Scottish Government officials, is taking forward those recommendations.

Focused on promoting equality, reducing bullying and improving the educational experiences of LGBT children and young people, subjects across age groups will now include LGBT identities, issues and history.

Support to help schools deliver this includes

• a website where school staff, parents, carers, children and young people can access information to support LGBT children and young people
• a basic awareness e-learning course for education staff on LGBT inclusive education
• a toolkit of LGBT inclusive education teaching resources

Parents, teachers, young people and LGBT organisations helped to develop the website, e-learning course and teaching resources. Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said “I am proud to say that Scotland is leading the way as the first country in the world to embed LGBT inclusive education right across the curriculum. By doing so, we can help young people to reach their full potential and flourish in a diverse and inclusive society. The launch of this ground-breaking suite of resources for schools takes us another step forward in ensuring that our curriculum is as diverse as the young people who learn in our schools. The Scottish Government, in partnership with COSLA, is determined to provide a fully inclusive education for Scotland’s children and young people.”

Time for Inclusive Education co-founder Jordan Daly said “I experienced bullying and prejudice at school for being gay, and it had a detrimental impact on my confidence and wellbeing for some time. This new website, and the supporting resources, which have been co-developed with teachers across Scotland, will support teachers to take a proactive, educational approach to tackling prejudice. Most importantly, this work will empower young people and provide them with an opportunity I didn’t have at school – to feel valued, confident, and proud of who they are.”

Many schools across Scotland already take positive steps to educate learners, in age-appropriate ways, about LGBT identities and issues. LGBT inclusive education will help build upon this existing good practice, equipping teachers and school leaders with the training and resources they need to approach these topics with knowledge and confidence, and to help effectively challenge homophobia, biphobia and/or transphobia in the school environment and wider community.

For further information, visit the website www.lgbteducation.scot/