fpa Launches New Comic For 6-7 Year Olds, UK

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 18 Sep 2008 - 0:00 PDT

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National sexual health charity fpa is launching a new booklet on growing-up for 6-7 year old boys and girls. 'Let's Grow with Nisha and Joe'[i] introduces the idea of identity, physical and emotional development.

The colourful 12-page comic is intended to be part of a planned programme of SRE being taught in school. It is designed to help teachers and parents/carers talk with children about growing-up, and to help them understand the differences between girls' and boys' bodies in a relaxed and fun way. Topics covered include: naming the main parts of the body, the differences between boys' and girls' bodies, the importance of family and friends, caring for each other and keeping safe.

Julie Bentley, Chief Executive, fpa said: "Sex and Relationships Education at this age is about learning basic information and skills, in exactly the same way that children start with ABC when they begin to read and write.

"Children want to be able to talk about their bodies, feelings and relationships" she continued. "It's important that they have this information before their bodies start to change. Talking about body parts is often easier for children when they are younger as they are less self-conscious and less sensitive about their bodies."

'Let's Grow with Nisha and Joe' is specifically for the reading and writing abilities of 6-7 year olds.

Discussing how teachers can use the comic, Julie added:

"We've worked closely with primary schools and professionals[ii] to make 'Let's Grow with Nisha and Joe' a strong, educational resource that teachers will want to use. It's colourful, lively and packed with activities to help young readers start learning about growing-up, with the support of their school and family. Children given the comic in schools are encouraged to take it home and talk about it with parents and carers.

"Sex and Relationships Education in primary schools isn't compulsory by law[iii]. As a result it's taught fairly intermittently and inconsistently across the country. 'Let's Grow with Nisha and Joe' comes with a set of comprehensive guidance notes to give teachers the confidence to use the resource. Hopefully this will help encourage schools who currently aren't teaching SRE to start doing so," she concluded.

Costing £15 for 50 copies, fpa's new comic 'Let's grow with Nisha and Joe' is available to schools across the UK. It covers the recommended learning outcomes for Key Stage 1.

For further information please contact fpa's press office on 020 7608 5265/5264 Mobile 07958 921060.

fpa (Family Planning Association) is the only registered charity working to improve the sexual health and reproductive rights of all people throughout the UK. http://www.fpa.org.uk

References

[i] 'Let's grow with Nisha and Joe' is funded by The Balcombe Trust, The Leslie Morgan Foundation and fpa.

[ii] Testing took place with over 50 different primary schools who helped feed into the comic's content and design.

[iii]Sex and Relationships Education in primary schools is not statutory in England, Scotland or Wales. Schools must produce a policy however and guidance exists on how to teach it. Northern Ireland teaches personal development as a statutory part of its primary school curriculum.

Family Planning Association

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