fighting for high quality RSE

Brook is committed to fighting for high quality, comprehensive and inclusive RSE as a universal right for all young people including those not in mainstream education.  

Responding to RSHE guidance

In May 2024, the Conservative Government published its revised draft guidance for RSHE. Brook was quick in its response, highlighting our concerns that the draft guidance weakened RSHE provision in schools and put young people at greater risk.

We produced a guide on how to respond to the consultation on the draft guidance, working with influencers and our ambassadors partners to promote it, encouraging as many people as possible to contribute their views and experiences. We also used our platform to amplify the voices of young people on how they believed the guidance could drive young people towards misinformation and convened over 100 organisations across health, education and safeguarding to write to the incoming Secretary of State for Education, encouraging them to reject the draft guidance on the grounds that it would make safeguarding more difficult in schools.

The new Labour Government 2025 RSHE guidance, while welcome, does not improve provision for young people experiencing SEND.  There is also a concerning reduction in the guidance in the clarity and content on LBGT+ identities, and the vague wording on gender is likely to cause uncertainty for teachers and leave young people feeling unsupported and ill-equipped for life outside school.  The addition of new topics such as AI, misogyny and harmful online behaviours is positive, and Brook will continue to respond to the changing issues faced by young people.  

Extension of mandatory RSE

In collaboration with Sex Education Forum, End Violence Against Women Coalition and Make it Mandatory, Brook has been campaigning to extend mandatory RSE to 16+ education settings. We submitted evidence to the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill and have been working with Parliamentarians to add an amendment to the bill.