Brook calls for Prime Minister to act after poll confirms almost 9 out of 10 parents support SRE

Published: 19 November 2014

Young people’s charity Brook today called on the Prime Minister to take immediate action on SRE when a new poll demonstrated 88% of parents of children aged 18 or under support the teaching of SRE in all schools. The online YouGov poll came during a week when the Commons Education Committee took further evidence in an inquiry into PSHE education, including SRE.

Chief Executive of Brook, Simon Blake OBE, said: 

"This poll adds to the overwhelming support for SRE to be taught in all schools. It comes in the same week that the Chair of the Education Select Committee criticised schools for not doing enough to teach about cyberbullying and held an inquiry into PSHE and SRE where cyberbullying would be addressed. Talk is great, but David Cameron said we must do better nearly a year ago but we have seen too little action from Government.” 

Vicki Shotbolt of The Parent Zone said:

“Parents know that good quality SRE helps them to protect young people. Parents want it, young people want it, teachers want it and it’s time for the Prime Minister to act. After three recent child abuse inquiries called for statutory SRE, we cannot afford further delay.”

Justine Roberts, Mumsnet CEO, was not surprised by the findings of the poll: 

“This new survey echoes what Mumsnet users have been telling us for some time: parents want SRE in schools to be compulsory and comprehensive, and for teachers to be given the support they need to deliver it. Good SRE builds self-confidence and good relationships, and helps to teach children how to stay safe, online and in face-to-face situations. All the evidence suggests that parents strongly support its inclusion in the curriculum - not as a replacement for what happens at home, but in partnership with parents and carers.”

Ends

For media enquiries please contact Brook’s press office on 020 7284 6046 or email press@brook.org.uk

Notes to editors

1. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc.  Total sample size was 4,150 adults of which 1,085 were parents of children 18 or under. Fieldwork was undertaken between 14 - 17 November 2014.  The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all GB adults (aged 18+).
2. Brook is the UK’s leading provider of sexual health services and advice for young people under 25. The charity has 50 years of experience working with young people and currently has services in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Jersey. Brook also provides support services and programmes to help young people make positive and healthy lifestyle choices and to improve their personal and emotional wellbeing. To find out about Brook’s education programmes, professional training courses and wide range of engaging and informative publications and resources for young people and professionals working with young people – visit legacy.brook.org.uk/shop. Brook services provide free and confidential sexual health information, contraception, pregnancy testing, advice and counselling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and education programmes, reaching over 275,000 young people every year.  legacy.brook.org.uk. 
3. Vicki Shotbolt is CEO and Founder of The Parent Zone, the leading body conveying advice and support to parents about their children’s digital lives. The Parent Zone has distributed more than a million Digital Parenting magazines to schools and reached more than 17,000 teachers, supporting parents dealing with their children’s digital lives.  
4. Speaking before the Commons Liaison Committee in January 2014, David Cameron said: “I think we can do better in terms of sex and relationship education. We must focus on healthy relationships, and I think we can add onto the guidance that’s produced, better guidance on, for instance, problems of cyber-bullying, sexting - we need to deal with that.”
5. Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) is a subject taught across the science and PSHE curriculum. It is compulsory for maintained state schools Key Stages 3 and 4 only as part of the science curriculum. All schools must have a written policy on SRE which takes account of statutory Government guidance on SRE.  

For media enquiries please contact Brook's press office on 07789 682831 or email press@brook.org.uk

Notes to editors

Brook believes that young people should have access to great sexual health services and wellbeing support.

Brook provides free and confidential sexual health information, contraception, pregnancy testing, advice and counselling, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections and education programmes, reaching nearly 235,000 young people nationwide every year.
 
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