MEDIA RELEASE - 11 April 2024 50% of young people report their RSE provision as good or very good – the highest number since polling began Yet only 43% of students feel personally represented and included by RSE Young people are turning elsewhere to learn: 22% say online options are their main source of information on pornography; 15% say their main source is pornography itself Young people are calling on Government to improve teacher confidence in provision (57%) and flexibility for schools to cover topics at the age that their students need (52%) A nationwide poll of young people’s ..read more

By Lucy Emmerson, Chief Executive, Sex Education Forum  Two duelling petitions on whether or not LGBT content should be included in relationships, sex, and health education (RSHE) have made it to Parliament for debate today. But from where I stand, LGBT provision in RSHE isn’t up for debate: it is a fact that our young people need and demand  LGBT-inclusive lessons. When Government made RSHE statutory in 2017, it was in an effort to ensure children and young people were given all the information they need to “lead happy, safe, and healthy lives and to foster respect for other people ..read more

Picture the scene: You're teaching about the changing adolescent body and a Year 5 child asks, “How are babies made?”  Questions like these can feel tricky for multiple reasons. Below we walk through some of the common concerns in relation to questions that might bridge health, science, relationships and sex education.   I’m not prepared!   An unexpected question can throw even the most experienced of us. For those moments, I find this mental checklist helpful:  Compose – Take a breath to gather your thoughts, you can buy yourself time by thanking or praisin ..read more

On World Care Day 2024, Sex Education Forum are excited to announce the launch of a new project that will develop and deliver Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) training to foster carers.   About the new project  The Sex Education Forum is working in partnership with three local areas in England. Leeds City Council, Wandsworth Borough Council and NSPCC Together for Childhood Plymouth are acting as trailblazers in embarking on this new project to bring RSE front and centre to their foster carers.  The training content has been coproduced with cared for and care experienc ..read more

Women’s Aid recently carried out research, surveying both young adults (18-24 years old) and school-aged children (KS2-4) on their understanding of relationships and consent. The study pointed to some troubling gaps in understanding:  Only 47% of children in Key Stage 2 could select the correct definition for ‘unsafe relationships’ and 61% knew the correct definition of ‘unwanted touch’.  Almost a quarter of the young people aged 18-25 years disagreed or strongly disagreed with this statement, ‘You should always have consent from your partner to have sex when you are in a rela ..read more

Sex Education Forum and youth-led organization Make it Mandatory are delighted to announce the formation of a brand new partnership for 2024. Our collaboration aims to improve, include and extend relationships and sex education (RSE) with and for young people.  The new partnership builds on our ambition to put young people at the centre of work on RSE. Make it Mandatory is a group of friends, who formed a grassroots social action group built around a RSE campaign objective from founder Faustine Petron, calling for RSE to be extended to ages 16-19 and to include teaching about domestic ab ..read more

Today, the Department for Education published its draft non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges about children questioning their gender. A consultation has also been published which closes on 12 March 2024. The Sex Education Forum will look closely at the proposals in the draft guidance and identify any possible impact on the delivery and provision of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) in schools. In early 2024, we will consult with our Partners to reach a position that reflects the collective expertise of the wider sector, ahead of submitting a response to the consultation. The Se ..read more

As in any subject, the resources we use to teach RSE are fundamental – they are the vehicle through which we engage, communicate with and inspire our learners. Whether it be cloth anatomically correct dolls or a ‘puberty kit’ containing personal hygiene products, they allow learners to explore key concepts, enable us to include all learners by enhancing communication and can be used as assessment tools. But how, as educators, do you know which resources to use? Sex Education Forum have put together a list of resources aimed at learners with SEND as a starting point, but before turning to the ..read more

Today (24 October 2023) the Secretary of State for Education, Rt Hon Gillian Keegan MP will write to schools to re-emphasise Government advice that RSE materials be shared with parents. An open letter addressed to parents has also stressed their rights to know what is being taught in school RSE lessons. The Government letters to schools and parents come at a time when children and young people’s entitlement to high quality RSE is only partially being met. Over half of young people aged 16 and 17 responding to a recent survey (SEF, 2023) said they had learnt nothing or not enough abo ..read more

Rachael Baker, Senior RSE Specialist examines the evidence.  Disabled children are almost three times more likely to experience sexual violence than non-disabled children (1). Young people with learning disabilities are more vulnerable both to being sexually abused and to displaying inappropriate or problematic sexual behaviour (2).  People with learning disabilities are highly likely to report that they had inadequate relationships and sex education (RSE) in school.   Statutory Government guidance tells us that RSHE must be accessible for all pupils, particularl ..read more