Pupils: Contraception

(asked on 21st March 2019) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what guidance his Department has provided to schools since 2010 on the potential liability of schools governors in the event of (a) a fatality, (b) stroke and (c) other adverse reaction to a pupil aged under 16 years as a direct consequence of taking the emergency hormonal contraceptive pill where the drug has been supplied (i) on school premises with the sanction of the governors, (ii) on school premises without the sanction of the governors and (iii) off school premises but as a result of a referral by a school nurse on school premises without the sanction of the governors.


Answered by
Nadhim Zahawi Portrait
Nadhim Zahawi
This question was answered on 29th March 2019

The department does not provide guidance to school governors regarding their potential liability for the welfare of pupils, under 16 years of age, who use emergency contraception supplied either on school premises, or as a result of referral made on school premises. The Governance Handbook was updated on 22nd March 2019.

Young people under the age of 16 are legally able to consent to medical advice and treatment, including the use of emergency contraception, without their parents’ knowledge or consent if a doctor or other healthcare worker judges them competent to do so. Healthcare professionals providing emergency contraception to under 16s without parental consent should follow the criteria outlined in the Fraser guidelines for competence to consent.

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