Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers.
Background Nottingham City has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in England. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was implemented in 1999. One of its aims was to improve Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) and sexual health services (SHS) in schools. However, evidence suggest that some schools...
| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2011
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/24817/ |
| _version_ | 1848792863976980480 |
|---|---|
| author | Dodds, Elizabeth |
| author_facet | Dodds, Elizabeth |
| author_sort | Dodds, Elizabeth |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background
Nottingham City has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in England. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was implemented in 1999. One of its aims was to improve Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) and sexual health services (SHS) in schools. However, evidence suggest that some schools do not place high priority on these topics.
Methods
A mixed qualitative and quantitative questionnaire was distributed to teaching staff and school nurses within Nottingham City secondary schools to ascertain what SRE and SHS were offered, their attitudes towards them and whether they felt they were appropriate for helping to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate. The results were descriptively analysed and compared by participant role and by school.
Results
Nineteen participants responded from seven schools. Four of the schools indicated that high quality SRE was being provided, which participants agreed was appropriate to reduce teenage pregnancies. Three schools appeared to only offer minimal SRE. Provision of SHS was varied, with few members of the teaching staff fully aware of the services provided in their school. Three schools indicated that no SHS were provided.
Conclusions
The study has highlighted inconsistencies in how SRE and SHS are implemented and prioritised in Nottingham City secondary schools. This results in a postcode lottery as to whether teenagers receive appropriate SRE and SHS. Responding teaching and staff and school nurses were unaware of what SRE or SHS are offered in their school. If Nottingham City council and the schools are serious about further reducing the teenage pregnancy rate then these inconsistencies must be addressed. School nurses must ensure
they understand what SRE is offered in their schools and become proactive in promoting the services they offer so both teaching staff and students are aware how and what services can be accessed. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:51:10Z |
| format | Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) |
| id | nottingham-24817 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:51:10Z |
| publishDate | 2011 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-248172017-10-14T11:18:01Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/24817/ Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. Dodds, Elizabeth Background Nottingham City has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in England. The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was implemented in 1999. One of its aims was to improve Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) and sexual health services (SHS) in schools. However, evidence suggest that some schools do not place high priority on these topics. Methods A mixed qualitative and quantitative questionnaire was distributed to teaching staff and school nurses within Nottingham City secondary schools to ascertain what SRE and SHS were offered, their attitudes towards them and whether they felt they were appropriate for helping to reduce the teenage pregnancy rate. The results were descriptively analysed and compared by participant role and by school. Results Nineteen participants responded from seven schools. Four of the schools indicated that high quality SRE was being provided, which participants agreed was appropriate to reduce teenage pregnancies. Three schools appeared to only offer minimal SRE. Provision of SHS was varied, with few members of the teaching staff fully aware of the services provided in their school. Three schools indicated that no SHS were provided. Conclusions The study has highlighted inconsistencies in how SRE and SHS are implemented and prioritised in Nottingham City secondary schools. This results in a postcode lottery as to whether teenagers receive appropriate SRE and SHS. Responding teaching and staff and school nurses were unaware of what SRE or SHS are offered in their school. If Nottingham City council and the schools are serious about further reducing the teenage pregnancy rate then these inconsistencies must be addressed. School nurses must ensure they understand what SRE is offered in their schools and become proactive in promoting the services they offer so both teaching staff and students are aware how and what services can be accessed. 2011 Dissertation (University of Nottingham only) NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/24817/1/Dissertation_%28a_k.a_Tanesha%29.pdf Dodds, Elizabeth (2011) Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. [Dissertation (University of Nottingham only)] (Unpublished) |
| spellingShingle | Dodds, Elizabeth Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| title | Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| title_full | Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| title_fullStr | Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| title_short | Are teenagers receiving appropriate Sex and Relationships Education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? Examining the attitudes of Nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| title_sort | are teenagers receiving appropriate sex and relationships education and sexual health services at school to lessen the risk of teenage pregnancy? examining the attitudes of nottingham based school nurses and secondary school teachers. |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/24817/ |