EVERY parent and carer knows that one day, their child will develop into a teenager and while they may be looking forward to it, that growth will bring a whole new set of challenges.

Relationships and sex are among the biggest issues young people face because it can be embarrassing for them to ask for help and support from adults. Avoiding talking about it can mean they might be led to less-than-reliable sources for advice, which could lead to harmful experiences or behaviour.

That’s why it’s so important that relationship, sex and health education (RSHE), is delivered in secondary schools, ensuring young people have the knowledge they need to have safe, respectful relationships.

The NSPCC, in partnership with Life Lessons, which supports healthy school culture and makes sure RSHE is relevant and engaging to young people, has developed a new way to share this important information in schools. Talk Relationships launched in 2022, giving secondary schools free resources and lesson plans to help with RSHE.

The NSPCC’s latest updates with Life Lessons includes more free resources and encourages a Whole-School Approach to promoting healthy relationships rather than focusing solely on classroom learning.

Children learn best when they have confidence and feel they’re in a safe environment, so by helping teachers enhance their skills and confidence in delivering this topic, the NSPCC aims to support millions of young people in secondary education to understand what makes healthy, happy relationships. We’ve also set up a dedicated RSHE Helpline for teachers for support, help or advice on sex and relationships education.

Even setting aside the immediate benefits of teenagers receiving education about sex and relationships as they begin to develop into young adults, good RSHE can make an even bigger difference outside of school. Healthy relationships lead to safer communities in a wider sense. Behaviour change begins with conversation, understanding and education, so by developing these resources and giving young people the ability to identify signs of unhealthy relationships, we hope to reduce the number of victims suffering harm in later life.

The NSPCC’s Childline service is available to young people if they need to speak to someone about a relationship issue, or are worried that they, a friend or family member might be in an unhealthy relationship.

Our counsellors are trained to listen to and support young people and are available on 0800 1111. If a young person doesn’t feel comfortable talking to an adult, moderated message boards on the Childline website are a way for them to speak to others their own age about issues they’re facing. The NSPCC Helpline is 0808 8005000 or at help@nspcc.org.uk. For teachers who’d like to know about resources or RSHE Helpline, call 0800 3895347.