It's important to talk to children and young people about consent. You can help them to understand that consent in relationships is about feeling in control and saying yes or agreeing to sexual activity because you choose to, not because someone is pressuring you to. Remember sexual activity can be in person or online.

Consent means actively saying yes, using both words and body language. You should explain to your child that they should always check to ensure the other person is happy to take part in sexual activity of any kind. And that it's important to be aware of the other person's body language and behaviour, and to stop if you think that the other person is uncomfortable or unhappy.

Let your child know that even if they’ve agreed to sexual activity or sex before, whether online or in person, they have the right to change their mind at any time. Tell them they can always talk to you if they feel pressured or unsure if they’re ready to take part in sexual activity or do things like send sexual images. And if they're worried that an image of them has been shared online, they must report it immediately.

Childline has advice to help young people understand healthy and unhealthy relationships. Healthy and unhealthy relationships | Childline

Consent - The law

The age of consent or the legal age to have sex in the UK is 16. The laws are there to protect children and not to prosecute under 16s who have mutually consenting sexual activity.

Any sort of sexual contact without consent is illegal, regardless of the age of those involved. Children under 13 cannot legally consent to any type of sexual activity.

(NSPCC, 2022)