Get involved in your community
Relationships and sex education
Relationships and sex education (RSE) aims to support every child to be happy, healthy and safe. It includes learning about puberty, hygiene, sex, sexual health, friendships, relationships and families. At your child’s school this will be taught at a pace and level that is appropriate for your child.
RSE can help them to process and understand body changes and sexual feelings, understand appropriate behaviour, develop healthy relationships and know how to stay safe.
Why is this important for children with SEND?
Children with SEND are often more vulnerable because:
- they may rely on others for personal and intimate care
- they may have communication barriers that make it hard for them to express their choices, understand what’s happening to them, or keep themselves safe.
Some of the challenges that your child may experience when learning about RSE include:
- sensory concerns for example, the feel of body fluids
- concerns about growing into adulthood
- behaviours such as masturbation in public, or lack awareness of boundaries
- the need for information to be presented in specific ways, such as symbols or through objects
- taking learning very literally, or finding it difficult to transfer and apply in their own lives.
Each child is unique and has a different story. Their needs can vary a lot and so they need a very personalised approach. Whatever their level of understanding, every child’s body goes through puberty. Most will have crushes or develop sexual feelings. Many will have intimate relationships in adulthood.
In this video you will hear from parents and carers about some of the challenges they have experienced and the support they received.
Information, advice and support services
- The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) has created three short films to help young people aged 11 to 25 years old with learning disabilities learn about relationships, emotions and staying safe.
- Talking about sex and relationships can be difficult and even embarrassing for some people. Sexual Health D&G has easy read sexual and reproduction health services leaflets.
- For people with learning disabilities, Mencap provides help and support about sexuality and relationships.
- Supported Loving highlights the importance of good support for people with autism/learning disabilities to form and maintain close relationships. It also publishes Supported Loving toolkit, blogs, news and other resources.
- Brook Young People's Information Service is an information, support and signposting service for young people under 25 on sexual health. They also run a confidential enquiry service on the website.
- Change People has lots of easy read resources from safe sex and contraception to pregnancy and parenting.
Getting involved
There are a number of opportunities to influence local decision-making. Voices in Action (ViA) is Derby’s youth council for young people aged 11 to 19 years old representing their school, support group or youth project.
Supporting local charities is another way to get involved. From children's charities to animal welfare, young people can find the perfect charity. Charities are always happy to chat about volunteering or to just simply be involved.
Volunteering
People volunteer for so many different reasons and volunteers can do almost anything! From helping older people with their shopping, to providing social media support for a local charity, volunteers make a vital contribution to all aspects of community life.
Derby's Volunteer Centre is run by Community Action Derby and always has a wide range of voluntary opportunities available for people in Derby to get involved in. Whether it is working with animals, the environment, business management or sport, they are confident they can help you find the voluntary work that suits you.
They run a drop-in and appointment service at the Volunteer Centre from Monday to Friday between 10am and 2pm. Come in and chat with one of their Volunteer Centre Advisers. You can also call them on 01332 342272 or email volunteer@communityactionderby.org.uk.
Alternatively, you can check out these volunteering organisations:
- Do IT - The UK's national volunteering website.
- The National Youth Agency - A website aimed at organisations who are involved in young people's personal and social development.
- vinspired - The perfect site for any volunteers aged 16 to 25 in England.
Staying safe
There are many resources out there to help young people to stay safe.
Thinkuknow helps keep children and young people safe by providing education about sexual abuse and sexual exploitation. There is advice for parents and carers and a page specifically for young people aged 14 and over.
Childnet International works with others to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. Their parent and carer hub will find information and resources to help you support your child to have a happy and safe online experience. They also have a Childnet Hub for young people aged 11 to 18.
The UK Safer Internet Centre has an Awareness Centre providing guides and resources on smart speakers, using video conferencing and setting parental controls.
Our Cyber crime - lock up online page contains information about staying safe when using the internet on the computer, tablet or phone.
Bullying
If you think a child is being bullied, view our Bullying and harassment policy page.
If you have been the victim of cyber bullying on social media, this can be reported on social media sites using their reporting system or to teachers and in some cases, the police.
If you have experienced inappropriate sexual contact, you should report this to the police.
Don't keep bullying to yourself, there is support available so speak out and get help.