The marginalisation of SRE: evidence from Merseyside

Prof Bill Gould (Geography, University of Liverpool)

Dr Clare Thetford (Health and Community Care Research Unit, University of Liverpool)

Dr Bethan Evans (Geography, University of Liverpool)

Project background• 2005, 3 month pilot project funded by Wellcome VIP

• Developed from Wellcome Trust funded ‘Understanding Epidemics’ project

www.liv.ac.uk/geography/epidemics

“It allows students to become informed in a safe environment. In this way, the STI section is particularly useful, as it would allow students who are embarrassed to talk about such issues to become informed working on their own” (Education professional).

Policy context• Key document: Department of Health (2005) Choosing

Health:Making Healthier Choices Easier

• Health and individual responsibility• Young people

– “People’s patterns of behaviour are often set early in life and influence their health throughout their lives. Infancy, childhood and young adulthood are critical stages in the development of habits that will affect people’s health in later years” (DoH, 2005, p.41).

• Key early target: Sexual health– Focus on “raising awareness of sexually

transmitted infections… better prevention through improved sex and relationship education in schools” (DoH, 2005, p.74).

Theoretical context• Moral panic, risk and children’s bodies

– “What focuses the moral panics that surround the activities of children and youths are problematic social constructions of young people” (Aitken, 2001 p.25)

• Young people & youth: inherently problematic & irresponsible– “Adolescence is constructed around body changes. It is a “stage”

designed to encourage and, by so doing, survey and control, rebellious behviour…The hidden, or at least ambivalent, sexual meanings of childhood become overtly sexual with the bodily changes of teenage years” (Aitken, 2001, p.77).

– “Taking risks, experimenting and pushing the boundaries is an important part of growing up” (DoH, 2005, p.66).

Theoretical context• Controlling risk

– “Young people need opportunities to learn about their world in ways that provide challenge and excitement…- alternatives to experimenting with underage sex, smoking, alcohol and drugs. We need to help them understand…the responsibilities that go with choice in matters such as sexual behaviour” (DoH, 2005, p.66).

• Responsibilities, negotiations and material realities– “rather than viewing individuals’ actions as either

responsible (or not) for making the ‘right’, ‘healthy’ choice we should consider how different actors reconcile their own and others’ preferences in relation to health knowledges and other (embodied) knowledges” e.g. pleasure, love, etc. (Colls & Evans, Forthcoming)

Methods• Pupils

– Questionnaires : opinions of SRE and websites– Task based focus group discussions (focussed around use of

four websites and pupils’ designs for websites).– 3 schools, 3 groups of pupils (1 mixed sex, 1 girls, 1 boys).

• Teachers (Group interviews)• Health education professionals (Individual interviews)

Findings: Professionals• No shortage of up-to-date materials (inc. internet/PC

based). Unknown how much any of them are used.

• Resources under-evaluated

• Encourage and facilitate effective SRE through training and incentives (NHSS)

Findings: From schools

• Pupils dissatisfied with SRE – want open, frank discussion in safe, non-judgemental environment

– What should be in SRE?: “more talking, more discussion”– “most of the information was irrelevant for your life” – “worksheets…are boring and you couldn’t really understand them” – (pupil questionnaires)

• Teaching methods and resources not appropriate – lack credibility

– “PSHE classes are usually boring, we go out of our way to avoid them. They just put on a video and give us a worksheet”

– “We watched the video and laughed because they are so bad. Everything about them is bad – the clothes, hair, accents, acting. They are very outdated and not up to date on what we do. They think we are too young” (Pupil discussion group)

Findings: From schools• SRE negative: risky; dangerous. ‘Shock tactics’

alienating

– “The facts about STIs and pregnancy, we know it all. It’s been drummed into our heads. We need more day-to-day stuff like improving relationships”

– “The message is always ‘it’s bad, don’t do it’. It’s always presented as a risk, negative and serious. You need to discuss also the fun side to sex”.

Findings: From schools

• Different approaches: Specialist SRE Vs form tutors

– “Teachers are no good at SRE. Need someone who knows what they’re doing like a social worker or specialist. Some teachers are OK if they’re young. No good if they’re old. Need a bond with the person so someone you get to know over time would be good. There’s one teacher in this school who we would talk to. We should be able to choose who we go to, but we’re told who we can and can’t go to.

• Teachers have limited training and lack confidence

– “The teachers put on a video. This is a cop out, they get out of doing the talking”.

Findings: From schools• Varying timetable allowances

– “If SRE was taken more seriously in school by teachers then it would be better and there would be more of it”

• Overcrowded PSHE curriculum (esp with Citizenship)

– EU membership vs. Sex and Relationships– “There’s a poor attitude to SRE in school, it’s not taken

seriously unlike other subjects such as maths. In many ways though, it’s more important”

• Very low awareness of teaching materials and access problems despite over-crowded market and many being freely available– Limited access to PCs & firewalls etc.

Conclusions

• Discussion not warnings– Young people identify that what they need is guidance in

negotiating and discussing sex, not more information or knowledge about the dangers

– Are young people REALLY irresponsible?

• Many pupils and teachers are open to change in SRE but this is limited through structural factors:– Lack of time (citizenship etc)– Lack of priority (non-assessed)

• There are plenty of innovative resources– But, teachers and pupils lack access to resources (financial &

material support)

Questions?

• Full report available online: http://www.liv.ac.uk/geography/research_projects/sre/Wellcome_report.pdf

• Contacts:– Clare.thetford@liv.ac.uk– B.evans@liv.ac.uk– wtsg@liv.ac.uk