VIEWS From the pen of…JONNY HUNT


So, what was your sex education like?


In our regular series highlighting authors in education, we’re delighted to hear this month from JONNY HUNT, who explains the thinking behind his recent book “Sex Ed for Grown Ups”.


In my experience, both parents and teachers report the same barriers to delivering positive and helpful information to the children and young people in their lives. For many of us talking about sex is uncomfortable; you are cutting down to the foundations of our beliefs, our values, and how you see the world. And that world is changing so quickly; most of us didn’t grow up with mobile phones, social media and on- demand TV. It is hard to know what good sex education looks like, when you didn’t receive the best yourself.


And this is where this book fits in.


It covers all of the topics that come up regularly when I talk to young people; from talking anatomy, puberty, consent, sexuality, gender, mobile phones, sexting, pornography, first time sex, contraception and, importantly, what to do when things go wrong …


The book explores the current debates, research and practice evidence, why it’s important, and how it fits in with young people’s lives today. But like all good sex education it should also be fun too. Along the way I share lots of anecdotes, conversations with parents, and professionals, but most importantly, you get to hear the voice of young people and what they say when the adults are not around. Plus, there are small exercises and thought experiments to keep us busy along the way.


It doesn’t matter whether you are reading this book as a parent, carer, teacher, social worker, or youth worker - if you are living with or working with children and young people, you are the right person to have these conversations. Most of us wear more than one hat anyway. Me, I wear a number of hats. I train professionals, work with parents as well as talking to children and young people, but I am also an uncle and a dad too. Whilst I have young people I have only just met, telling me all their secrets - I don’t assume for a moment that I am always my own daughter’s first point of call when she has something on her mind. However, I reason, the more young people I talk to and the more safe adults I can support, the safer she will be.


Whether we like it or not, in the eyes of young people we are on trial 24/7. They are watching us to not only to see how they should behave and react to situations, but also for signs you are a safe person to talk to. We have to earn the right for young people to talk to us. We have to store up collateral for a rainy day when our teen’s world has come crashing down, if we want to be the one allowed to help tidy the mess.


For me our job as safe adults is to open as many doors as we can. We can do nothing more.


December 2021 BRITISH EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIERS ASSOCIATION (BESA)


Effects of the pandemic on pupils with SEND


In our regular column for Education Today this month from school suppliers’ association BESA, we hear from MONICA THOMPSON, Policy Analyst at the association.


There is a need for deeper consideration of how EdTech can help realise and nurture the diverse talents of children with special needs and disabilities, and the urgency, given the impact of the past year, is not just a question of developing technologies for children who have additional needs. It is also about ensuring that all technology development considers the necessary features. The paper published by ASK Research, NFER and UCL reports what effects


Headteachers felt the pandemic has had on pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). This report was originally published in July 2021 and updated in October 2021 following further analysis. It involved a representative survey of Headteachers in special schools and colleges in England, followed by in-depth interviews with a sample of Headteachers and parents of pupils in these settings. The overarching points are that even though it is a legal requirement that


pupils with EHCPs receive health, therapy, and care input, their access to this has been severely reduced during the pandemic. In May 2021, Headteachers reported that around a third of pupils attending school were still not receiving their full health and therapeutic input (34%) or their social care support (37%). Of those not attending school, almost nine out of ten (87%) pupils were not receiving their full health or therapy support and eight out of ten (78%) were not receiving their full care package. The latest DfE data shows that in September 2021 around 18% of pupils were not attending their State special school. Additionally, due to the types of special educational needs a lot of children


find it very difficult to engage with a screen and there are issues with trying to teach children with SEND remotely. In addition, parents found it very difficult to support their children at home. They are having very specialist teaching and specialist input, sometimes using tech, sometimes not, and the parents just are not familiar with it. Even though children with EHCPs have a legal entitlement to health and care input, the research found it was not delivered during these lockdown periods at all. Even before the pandemic there was widespread agreement that funding


in the SEND sector was inadequate and wide variability of provision existed in terms of both access and quality. In addition, the Education Select Committee, in its 2019 review of SEND, reported that “The distance between young people [with SEND]’s lived experience, their families’ struggles and Ministers’ desks is just too far.” Our report illustrates that the pandemic has more negatively impacted pupils with SEND, highlighting their needs, and this distance, even more acutely. According to the report, recovery support is now needed which:


• Funds activities to help address learning and developmental losses • Provides additional health and care resource • Addresses the wellbeing of pupils, families and staff.


Furthermore: • The Educational Recovery Fund should be made appropriate to support the needs of pupils with SEND. • There should be greater funding for the Health and Care needs of pupils with SEND. • Support should also be provided for their families, particularly in relation to their mental health, as well as for staff in special settings, if they are to be encouraged to remain in the sector. • The SEND review, announced in September 2019, must be published.


Monica Thompson, Policy Analyst monica@besa.org.uk @Monica_BESA Besa.org.uk


www.education-today.co.uk 13


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