Barnardo’s NI welcomes the opportunity to provide our response to the Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) Consultation Booklets. Our comments are informed by our work with the diverse communities of children and families that we support through our 45+ services in Northern Ireland. It is important that both strategies speak to, and meet the needs of, the wide range of experiences in Northern Ireland.
For example, The Barnardo’s NI LifeSkills programme is a universal, highly effective, early intervention and prevention programme, designed for whole class, in-school delivery for 8-14 year olds. LifeSkills concentrates on a preventative approach which shares age-appropriate information with children and young people, providing them with the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to make healthy choices. Studies have shown that LifeSkills can reduce the prevalence of risk-taking behaviours by up to 75%, with effects lasting 12 years. The LifeSkills programme builds capacity by equipping teachers with the skills to prevent risky behaviours.