The marginalisation of SRE: evidence from Merseyside

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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)
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Project background

• 2005, 3 month pilot project funded by Wellcome
  VIP
• Developed from Wellcome Trust funded
  Understanding Epidemics project

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).
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Policy context

• Key document Department of Health (2005)
  Choosing HealthMaking Healthier Choices Easier
• Health and individual responsibility
• Young people
• Peoples 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 peoples
  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).

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Theoretical context

• Moral panic, risk and childrens 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
  behviourThe 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).

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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 understandthe 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)

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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)

No personal comments or questions Show
respect to everyone in the group No put
downs Non judgemental No interruptions
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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)

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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
• worksheetsare boring and you couldnt 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)

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Findings From schools

• SRE negative risky dangerous. Shock tactics
  alienating
• The facts about STIs and pregnancy, we know it
  all. Its been drummed into our heads. We need
  more day-to-day stuff like improving
  relationships
• The message is always its bad, dont do it.
  Its always presented as a risk, negative and
  serious. You need to discuss also the fun side
  to sex.

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Findings From schools

• Different approaches Specialist SRE Vs form
  tutors
• Teachers are no good at SRE. Need someone who
  knows what theyre doing like a social worker or
  specialist. Some teachers are OK if theyre
  young. No good if theyre old. Need a bond with
  the person so someone you get to know over time
  would be good. Theres one teacher in this school
  who we would talk to. We should be able to
  choose who we go to, but were told who we can
  and cant 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.

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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
• Theres a poor attitude to SRE in school, its
  not taken seriously unlike other subjects such as
  maths. In many ways though, its 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.

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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)

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Questions?

• Full report available online http//www.liv.ac.uk
  /geography/research_projects/sre/Wellcome_report.
  pdf
• Contacts
• Clare.thetford_at_liv.ac.uk
• B.evans_at_liv.ac.uk
• wtsg_at_liv.ac.uk