Three significant reports published in recent days - a ChildLine report on suicidal thoughts amongst children and young people, the New Psychoactive Substances review and the Coffey report on child sexual exploitation - have all recommended a statutory entitlement to PSHE education.
These calls are a reminder of the breadth of support for PSHE education from respected individuals and organisations as diverse as the Chief Medical Officer, the Office of the Children’s Commissioner, the Equality and Human Rights Commission, the Royal College of Nursing, Public Health England, the Royal College for Paediatric and Child Health, the Royal College of Psychiatry and the Faculty of Public Health.
Perhaps most importantly, PSHE education has the overwhelming support of teachers, young people and parents: leading teaching and education unions NAHT, NUT, ATL and Voice have all given their backing to statutory status, while the UK Youth Parliament has made 'a curriculum which prepares young people for life' a campaign priority two years in a row. A YouGov survey of parents has also shown that over 90% support teaching on mental health and wellbeing, as well as skills for life and work, and statutory PSHE has also been backed by leading parenting organisations such as Family Lives and Mumsnet.
Sign our shared statement for statutory PSHE education
As we enter a crucial period for the subject, we are calling on leading organisations to join the calls for statutory PSHE by signing a shared statement in support of statutory status for the subject, which can be downloaded below. If your organisation supports statutory PSHE, please download our template for supporters to fill in and return to pledge@pshe-association.org.uk
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