Our children and young people are faced with huge issues every day: abuse in many forms, managing pressures and mental health, issues around beliefs and faiths. The major common denominator of these challenges is little or no self-esteem.
Our work over the past twelve years has been focused on the most vulnerable young people but it’s not just those at the margins that need more support. Young people from a wide range of backgrounds are struggling with home and school life. Which is why it’s so important that schools develop effective cultures of support and why the campaign by the PSHE Association, to get the Education Committee to agree to their recommendation of statutory status for PSHE, is so critical. Yet, there is again further delay by the Government who say they need more time to decide!!
However, there is a glimmer of hope as Ofsted’s latest inspection framework now includes a ‘Personal development, behaviour and welfare’ judgement. But for how long has the aspect of Relationship and Sexual Health been on the agenda? And how far have we progressed??
More than ever there needs to be a specific priority for supporting young people in building self-esteem.
What makes the situation worse is the ‘support services’ are overwhelmed, underfunded and lacking the resources and we end up with a growing waiting list and dealing only when there is a crisis.
I’d be interested to connect with those who feel the same, particularly if you have the influence/ability to make changes.
