Event Details

“ … we have taken the decision, subject to public consultation, to make Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education (including SRE) statutory. This will raise the priority of PSHE education in schools and ensure a more consistent offer to all young people. In addition, we are taking action to address the key delivery challenges identified during the SRE review, which includes improving the skills and confidence of those who deliver PSHE.”
— Minister for Children, Families & Young People, June 2009

“ Young people today grow up in a very different world to the one their parents knew as children. New technologies and a 24 hour media mean that young people are increasingly exposed to images and content that can make them feel pressure to be sexually active before they are ready and can give them misleading information about relationships and growing up … We want to give young people the facts so that they can stay safe and healthy. We also want young people to understand the importance of marriage and other stable relationships – these are the bedrock of family life, the best way to bring up children and the kind of relationships we want young people to develop as they get older.”
— Minister for Children, Families & Young People, January 2010

Overview

Following the recent independent review into the quality and effectiveness of SRE in schools, the Government has sought to develop standards in SRE and eliminate ‘patchy’ delivery through improving the training and leadership of those teaching SRE, extending partnership working between schools, parents and agencies and making SRE a compulsory component of the curriculum.

Accepting a number of the review’s recommendations, the updated curriculum will seek to reflect the lives of young people in the 21st Century. Countering children’s increased exposure to sexual imagery and sexual content, the curriculum will “give young people the opportunity to understand the influence of the media, clarify values and attitudes, understand risks and consequences and acquire the knowledge and skills that will keep them safe and healthy”. SRE will also provide a stronger emphasis on relationships and values and accommodate issues such as sexuality, disability, ethnicity and faith.

This special Public Policy Exchange symposium offers a timely opportunity for schools, local practitioners and stakeholders to examine the implications of the new statutory status and the challenges it will pose. Delegates will debate how to improve collaboration between schools, external contributors, parents and young people in order to implement an SRE curriculum that is responsive to local needs. The symposium will also consider how to provide an inclusive education framework that meets the needs and diversity of every young person and equips them with the knowledge and skills necessary to stay safe and healthy in the 21st Century. Delegates will debate, share best practice and network with colleagues from across the education, health and children service landscape.

Programme

Who Should Attend?

• Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinators
• Sexual Health Strategy Co-ordinators
• Local, Regional & National Health Services
• Sexual Health Treatment/Advisory Services
• Teachers & Senior Schools Staff
• Counselling Services
• Child Psychologists
• Sexual Health Support & Outreach Services
• Connexions
• Local Authority Education & Children’s Services
• Health Promotion Advisers
• School Nurses & Health Visitors
• Child & Education Psychologists
• Family Planning Specialists
• Looked After/Children in Care Teams
• Drug & Alcohol Action Teams
• Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services
• GUM Clinics
• Social Care Professionals
• Child Protection Officers
• Police Service
• Central Government Departments & Agencies
• Third Sector Representatives
• Academics