Sue Robb of 4Children talks to Julie Laughton and Alison Britton from the Department for Education about the role of childminders in delivering the 30 hours free entitlement.
STIs fuelled by lack of sex education, say councils
The Local Government Association (LGA) has claimed that extending compulsory sex and relationship education (SRE) in academies could reduce the diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections.
Age-appropriate SRE has long been a contentious issue for schools and the government alike, with the subject now compulsory in council-maintained secondary schools. However, the same policy is not held for academies or free schools, which make up 65 per cent of all secondary schools - representing more than two million young people.
The LGA argues that a worryingly high number of sexually transmitted infections are being diagnosed as a direct result of poor education, with a large number of young people not ‘being prepared for adulthood’.
There has been 141,060 new diagnoses for STIs for 20 to 24-year-olds in 2015, compared with 78,066 for those aged 15 to 19 - an issue that the LGA believes is a ‘major health protection issue’.
Recent polling by charity Plan International UK found that more than eight in 10 people think SRE should be compulsory in schools, although many believe that parents should be given the option of removing their children from the lessons.
Cllr Izzi Seccombe, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “The lack of compulsory SRE in academies and free schools is storing up problems for later on in life, creating a ticking sexual health time bomb, as we are seeing in those who have recently left school.
"We believe that making sex and relationship education compulsory in all secondary schools, not just council-maintained ones, could make a real difference in reversing this trend, by preparing pupils for adulthood and enabling them to better take care of themselves and future partners.
"The focus needs to be on arming them with the knowledge they need to tackle what lies ahead. Life as a teenager is complicated enough. The evidence suggests that when designed and delivered in the right way, SRE can have a really positive impact on a pupil's development."
Latest News
19/04/2024 - 11:17
Nicola Sturgeon's husband Peter Murrell has been charged with embezzlement in an investigation into SNP finances.
19/04/2024 - 10:55
The Scottish Government has announced a new suite of climate action measures aimed at tackling climate change.
18/04/2024 - 10:19
Pensioners in five Scottish local authorities will be the first to be eligible for a new disability benefit (subject to parliamentary approval of r
18/04/2024 - 09:41
Residents and visitors to Brecon in Wales recently took part in the world's first full-town digital deposit return scheme.
17/04/2024 - 11:58
Applications have opened for a £1.3 million competition to 'transform the transport sector, grow the economy and inspire innovation'.
Company Focus
Just Lanyards is a subsidiary name of Gifts 2 Impress Limited, who have been trading for over 25 years, we therefore pride ourselves in having endless experience covering all aspects of the promotional merchandise industry.
Event Diary
UKREiiF has quickly become a must-attend in the industry calendar for Government departments and local authorities.
The multi-award-winning UK Construction Week (UKCW), is the UK’s biggest trade event for the built environment that connects the whole supply chain to be the catalyst for growth and positive change in the industry.
Supplier Profiles
At GeoEnergy Design, we're on a mission to disrupt the traditional way heating and cooling ha
Latest Features
Professor Harith Alani, director of the Knowledge Management Institute at the Open University explains how AI can be used for good and bad.
Alex Lawrence, head of health & social care, techUK sets out techUK’s Five Point Plan for CareTech.
