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
23/08/2019 - 11:25
More children can safely play outside away from traffic after government rules around closing roads for community events are simplified.
23/08/2019 - 10:06
New Residential Landlords Association research has revealed that Universal Credit is causing tenants to get behind with their rent.
23/08/2019 - 09:35
A major waste company has warned that more waste could be sent to landfill in the UK after a no-deal Brexit.
22/08/2019 - 12:10
A new report from the National Housing Federation has revealed that an ongoing shortage of homes is forcing 130,000 families in England to squeeze
22/08/2019 - 10:34
Councils can get more young people into work, education and training if they are given greater powers over the national skills and employment system.
Company Focus
Looking ahead at trends in energy from waste, I foresee a larger but more technologically sophisticated sector as use of single-use plastics reduces and emissions targets become tighter.
Event Diary
It is no mystery that there is a huge task at hand to solve the growing problems of waste, inefficient resources, and the disposal of hazardous materials as our communities develop.
You are invited to this unique annual exhibition that brings together all the disciplines from the emergency services sector who are involved in prevention, response and recovery.
Supplier Profiles
Since Shellshock’s inception over 25 years ago we have been providing shows for a wide range of e
Future Mobility Consulting Ltd is committed to facilitating the world's transport systems to a ne
Latest Features
A recent roundtable discussed whether the public sector is prepared for the AI revolution and the ethics behind the technology
With MPs highlighting the lack of government policies in place to deliver the net zero target by 2050, we look at what councils are doing
