Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what his Department's assessment is of the extent and effectiveness of existing programmes aiming to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG) within schools and colleges in England, for each category of action (a) interventions that seek to transform gender norms to prevent VAWG, (b) healthy relationships education and bystander skills for both children and adolescents, (c) applied, participatory theatre projects concerning VAWG, (d) interventions designed to promote empowerment through self-defence and coaching for young women and (e) training of education professionals around the identification of potential victims of VAWG and their referral to other agencies.

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe.

The subjects of relationships, sex and health education (RSHE) are now a statutory part of the curriculum. They include teaching pupils what healthy relationships look like, and the concepts of, and laws relating to, all forms of abuse. The RSHE statutory guidance also advises schools to be alive to issues such as sexism, misogyny, homophobia, and gender stereotypes, and to take positive action to tackle these issues. The guidance is available to view here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an integrated approach that is sensitive to the needs and backgrounds of their pupils. The department has provided advice on choosing resources and working with external agencies in the non-statutory implementation guidance here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/plan-your-relationships-sex-and-health-curriculum.

Following the Ofsted review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges, the department is strengthening support for designated safeguarding leads (DSLs) so they can confidently identify and address sexual abuse and harassment. This includes funding What Works for Children’s Social Care to trial supervision and training for DSLs in schools with a particular focus on supporting them to respond to sexual abuse issues in schools, working with the Centre for Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse. This also includes incorporating resources on child sexual abuse into the online resource hub for DSLs, which will launch in summer 2022.

Further education providers are expected to provide personal and social development for their learners and will be judged by Ofsted on how they deliver this. Key criteria for the assessment include developing confidence and resilience, understanding how to keep mentally and physically healthy and developing an age-appropriate understanding of healthy relationships through appropriate relationships and sex education. The department does not specify how colleges should achieve this.

The statutory safeguarding guidance 'Keeping Children Safe in Education' is very clear that all staff in schools and colleges should be aware of indicators of any form of abuse and or neglect, and what they should do if they have any concerns about a child being abused.