Two in five teachers in the East of England struggle with sex and relationships education
New research from the NSPCC shows teachers want more support when teaching sex and relationships education
Last updated 28th Sep 2022
Teachers across Bucks, Beds, and Herts are struggling when it comes to teaching sex and relationships education, new research from the NSPCC shows.
Along with teacher's union the NASUWT, the children's charity found that two in five secondary school teachers surveyed in the East of England said they didn't feel confident about teaching the subject.
This comes just one year after sex and relationship education was made a compulsory part of the curriculum in England.
76% of teachers felt they needed more sex and relationship education training
The survey also found 81% of teachers felt they needed more resources, 76% needed more training, and just over half thought government support had been poor.
The NSPCC has said it's been campaigning for years for children to have high-quality sex and relationship education, and believes these lessons are crucial in safeguarding children.
"Learning from their peers or pornography"
Gail Sayles, Campaign Manager for the East of England, said: "children have been telling our Childline councillors that they're learning from their peers in the playground or from watching pornography.
She continued: "It's really important that we have these lessons properly resourced and teachers feel more confident talking to children and young people about these issues because, it will enable these young people to mature and build their confidence and self esteem."
To help teachers, the NSPCC has launched Talk Relationships - a set of online support which includes e-learning courses, lesson plans, and a dedicated helpline for those in need.