Agenda item

The Schools Health Education Unit (SHEU) was commissioned by Public Health to deliver a health related behaviour questionnaire across B&NES schools in 2015. There will be a presentation on the findings at the meeting highlighting responses to do with children and young people’s sense of safety.

The Director of Public Health Award Coordinator and the PSHE & Drug Education Coordinator gave a presentation to the Panel regarding this item. A copy of the presentation will be available on the Panel’s Minute Book and online as an appendix to these minutes, a brief summary is set out below.

The Director of Public Health Award Coordinator explained that all schools are invited to take part in the survey and that in 2015 29 Primary Schools and 12 Secondary Schools did. She said that any trend data would only concern those schools that had completed previous surveys in 2011, 2013 and this current one for 2015.

Smoking – Year 6 only:

Have you ever smoked a cigarette?

Never: 98% (2015), 97% (2013), 98% (2011)

E-Safety – Year 6 only:

Have you ever seen images online or videos that were for adults only?

No: 76% (2015), 73% (2013), 65% (2011)

Yes: 24% (2015), 27% (2013), 35% (2011)

Bullying:

Have you ever felt afraid to go to school because of bullying?

No: 70% (2015), 64% (2013), 65% (2011)

Yes: 30% (2015), 36% (2013), 35% (2011)

Alcohol (2015) – Year 6 only:

Have you had a proper alcoholic drink, not just a sip?

No: 90% (Boys), 92% (Girls)

Yes: 10% (Boys), 8% (Girls)

Feeling Safe (2015)

How many feel quite or very safe:

At school: 92% (Boys), 93% (Girls)

Going to and from school: 91% (Boys), 90% (Girls)

Going out during the day: 94% (Boys), 91% (Girls)

Going out after dark: 40% (Boys), 31% (Girls)

Using the internet online: 82% (Boys), 77% (Girls)

Self-esteem (2015):

High self-esteem scores:

Boys: 40% (Year 4), 52% (Year 6)

Girls: 32% (Year 4), 45% (Year 6)

Medium – Low self-esteem scores:

Boys: 16% (Year 4), 13% (Year 6)

Girls: 27% (Year 4), 17% (Year 6)

What do Year 8 & 10 Girls worry about?

Exams and tests (70%)

The way they look (57%)

Family (49%)

What do Year 8 & 10 Boys worry about?

Exams and tests (52%)

Career (45%)

Family (43%)

Areas for development – Primary 2015

Body image

Sun safety

Peer pressure

Information on body changes as they grow up

E-Safety

Areas for development – Secondary 2015

Having lunch

Sun safety

Viewing upsetting images online

Body image

Self-harm (Girls)

Councillor Liz Hardman wished to congratulate the officers present for winning a Stonewall award. She asked if pupils should receive further E-Safety information from their parents.

The PSHE & Drug Education Coordinator replied that they were working with two particular schools, 1 Primary 1 Secondary, to address this issue and were generally asking parents to be more vigilant. She added that officers were very proud that the Council had been awarded first place in the Stonewall index in 2015 for its work around LGBT / Celebrating difference following a submission of evidence (out of 47 Local Authorities who had submitted evidence).

Councillor Matt Cochrane asked if there was a strategy that parents could refer to.

The Divisional Director for Safeguarding & Social Care replied that there was an E-Safety Strategy in place.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities added that schools can gain access to a wide range of materials to help them regarding this issue. He added that work on children being able to view or access 18 certificate games should be highlighted.

Councillor Alison Millar said that she was worried about the figures concerning the self-esteem of girls.

The PSHE & Drug Education Coordinator replied that this was not an easy thing to fix and that a working group had been set up to discuss the matter further. She added that messages from the media need to be tackled.

The Strategic Director for People & Communities added that the Council should be realistic of what it can achieve regarding this matter as a national input is required. He added that schools could do some work on boys perception of girls.

Councillor Liz Hardman asked what schools are doing once they have received the results of the survey.

The Director of Public Health Award Coordinator replied that if schools are working towards their DPH award they will use the survey results to show what work they will undertake and then measure the impact of their actions.

Councillor Alison Millar asked why schools would not take part in the survey.

The Director of Public Health Award Coordinator replied that they may have already taken part in a similar survey or may feel they did not have enough time to take part.

Councillor Lisa Brett commented that she would like to have seen data relating to whether children have been affected by crime and data relating to Looked After Children.

The Director of Public Health Award Coordinator replied that a previous survey had contained questions relating to the perception of crime.

The Director for Children & Young People, Strategy & Commissioning added that the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board receives some of this data.

The PSHE & Drug Education Coordinator added that data is available for Children in Care, but said that this is a small sample size.

The Director of Public Health Award Coordinator said that information relating to Young Carers was also available. She added that she would take the matters raised to the steering group.

The Chairman thanked them both for the presentation.