28/08/2024
PSHE Association
Your PSHE education community
Over 120 of you joined our meetings last academic year (2023-24), to network with colleagues, discuss issues affecting PSHE education both nationally and at a local level, and explore national/local data and research, policy updates, and the latest tools and resources available to members.
The shared learning from each of these network sessions was then circulated to all our members via termly newsletters, to enhance local PSHE education practice and support PSHE needs across the country.
For all members, we hosted a series of face-to-face regional seminars in the summer term, bringing together school staff and local authority and public health colleagues to share insights, network and strengthen relationships. Read our Regional Seminars round-up for 2024 here.
Sign up for your region’s next local authority meeting here.
Join our regional mailing list for updates on local challenges and support, and reminders for our next round of meetings.
What can you gain from future network sessions? [Thoughts from recent attendees]
Our network meetings provide a valuable forum for LA and public health leads in each region to discuss cross-cutting PSHE-related issues — helping to form a localised picture of the challenges young people face, and potential strategies to address these, as well as sharing ‘success stories’ and identifying local support services.
The chance to meet and exchange ideas with colleagues from their PSHE education community was most highly valued by local authority and public health leads who attended our 2023/24 meetings, as was the opportunity to chat with their region’s dedicated Subject Specialist, and discover practical resources to support their PSHE provision. The meetings gave them the opportunity to discuss their roles, share good practice, and identify local trends and challenges. Attendees also enjoyed meeting colleagues ‘live’, and together exploring timescales, methodology, and funding for delivering PSHE-related services across the region.
Local challenges — what’s happening in your region?
Throughout the year and across the country, we have had conversations about some of the most pressing issues facing young people.
In the East of England, attendees highlighted an increased focus on financial literacy, with young people requesting more careers and financial education. Colleagues also cited mental health — specifically the need for further emphasis on preventative, rather than responsive, education — and underage vaping, as areas of concern.
Financial literacy was seen as a big challenge in the South East, with young people treating social media as their main provider of financial education. Colleagues also identified issues including vaping, gambling and body image, as well as gangs and knife crime, although their prominence differed across the region, emphasising the need for nuanced approaches.
Colleagues from these regions reported that many young people lack the necessary knowledge and skills to access local services, and highlighted the need to build stronger relationships between parents and schools. Colleagues also commented on the impact of social media on mental health across the regions.
Attendees from the North West highlighted the renewed importance of teaching about sexual health, following a reduction in sexual health and contraception services and the provision of school nurses. Colleagues also cited the impact of social media on students’ understanding of sexual health and contraception. Other local issues highlighted included vaping, online safety and literacy skills, dental health and economic wellbeing.
Sexual health was seen as a priority focus in this region, with attendees citing the lack of STI services as a major barrier for young people. Self-harm, mental health and an increase in alcohol-related incidents were other areas of concern raised by attendees where further support is needed.
Attendees in this region cited the need for additional support on economic wellbeing and financial literacy. As in other regions, a decrease in support around sexual health and contraception through school nurses has made effective teaching on this subject more important than ever.
A reduction in the provision of school nurses has re-emphasised the need for high-quality input on sexual health and contraception in particular. Other areas of local concern include mental health, vaping, sexism and misogyny, and knife crime and gangs, with colleagues citing the importance of quality, evidence-based PSHE education on these topics.
As in other regions, attendees expressed concern about the barriers young people face in accessing sexual health services. Child financial harms and financial literacy were also highlighted as important issues.
Sign-up for our autumn 2024/25 meetings
We encourage anyone working on PSHE education in public health or local authorities to sign up to their local meeting. Our next regional network meetings will be held this autumn term (2024/25), and we look forward to seeing you there!
View all meeting details & dates here
Sign-up to our regional LA mailing list here
Working in a school or MAT? Look out for termly updates on local context and come along to our next regional summer seminars.
Join our mailing list to hear about future events or become a member to join our community of over 60,000 teachers and schools and access our resources, support, and full range of training and events.
Sources of support
Become a PSHE Association member for guidance, lessons and resources on a range of topics.
Below is an outline of some useful materials including lesson packs and CPD courses that can be used to address the local challenges raised in our regional network meetings.
Drugs, alcohol and vaping:
Financial literacy, child financial harms and economic wellbeing:
Mental health:
Gangs and knife crime:
Engaging with parents and writing policies:
Relationships and sex education:
Dental health: