Work of Dáil na nÓg Council 2009

200 teenage delegates attended the eighth annual Dáil na nÓg which took place on 20February 2009 in Croke Park, Dublin and discussed the issues of Physical Healthand Mental Health.

The top three recommendations on physical health voted by delegates were:

  1. Cervical cancer vaccine to be made available free of charge for all 12-18 year old girls;
  2. All young people should have access to sex education, which is appropriate to individual needs, comprehensive and varied in delivery;
  3. P.E. should be prioritised and properly funded in and out of school because health and fitness is as important as education.

The top three recommendations on mental health voted by delegates were:

  1. The government needs to implement a structured SPHE course for Senior Cycle students incorporating positive mental health awareness and develop an on-line support service;
  2. Mandatory mental health awareness workshops in all schools to raise awareness about symptoms, supports and effects of mental health issues;
  3. A nationwide awareness campaign that would promote positive mental health and decrease the stigma, which would reduce the numbers of suicide in young people.

In an effort to make changes for young people in those areas the Dáil na nÓg Council, representing each of the 34 Comhairle na nÓg, has followed up on the recommendations from Dáil na nÓg 2009 with policy makers. The Council has a term of office of one year, meets once a month and is supported by the OMCYA and NYCI. The Council divided into two working groups on mental health and physical health.

The mental health group worked on the need for the effective implementation of SPHE at senior cycle in second-level schools. The physical health group worked on the recommendation that the cervical cancer vaccine should be made available free of charge for all 12-18 year old girls. Both groups worked on the need for effective Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in the senior cycle of second-level schools.

The Council engaged with a number of key policy-makers who are in a position to provide advice or support change, including:

  • Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer, Department of Health and Children
  • Frances Shearer, National Co-ordinator for Relationships and Sexuality Programme
  • Ger Halbert, Education Officer for Senior Cycle SPHE, National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA)
  • SPHE students: Stephanie McGovern, Megan O’Brien and Joanne Ryan
  • Martha Feeney, Regional Development Officer for SPHE Junior Cycle with the SPHE Support Service covering the Western part of the Country
  • Sharon McGrath, SPHE National Co-ordinator
  • Brona Hayden, Sanofi Pasteur (Merck Sharpe & Dohme)
  • Martin Dempsey, Sanofi Pasteur (Merck Sharpe & Dohme)
  • Clarie Taaffe, Glaxo Smith Kline
  • Louise Hogan, Glaxo Smith Kline
  • Karen Galligan Headstrong
  • Vincent McCarthy, Inspire Ireland
  • Jonathan Nicholas, Reach Out Australia
  • Siobhán O’Higgins, National University of Galway, Health Promotion Researcher
  • Dr. Shirley McQuaid, Medical Director, Dublin Wellwoman Centre
  • Alison Begas, Chief Executive, Dublin Wellwoman Centre

Seeking support from key stakeholders

The physical health group of the Dáil na nÓg Council wrote to Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer at the Department of Health and Children asking for his feedback on:

  • The need for a cervical cancer vaccine programme for girls;
  • The failure of delivery of effective sex education in second level schools;
  • The need for Ireland to allow questions on sexual behaviour to be asked in the Health Behaviour of School-going Children (HBSC) Survey.

Dr Holohan wrote back indicating his support for the work of the Council and agreeing to address the important issues raised in the letter.

The mental health group wrote to over 100 key stakeholder organisations and individuals seeking their support for effective implementation of SPHE and RSE at senior cycle. Letters of support for the work of the Dáil na nÓg Council have been received from a very wide range of organisations.

Dáil na nÓg Council Meeting with Ministers

On 16th January 2010, Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health and Children and Barry Andrews TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs attended a meeting of the Dáil na nÓg Council. At this meeting the young councillors welcomed Minister Harney’s decision to commence the cervical cancer vaccine programme for 12 year-old girls. Minister Harney acknowledged the work of the Council on the cervical cancer issue. The Council presented to the Ministers the findings of their survey on implementation of SPHE and RSE.

Joint Oireachtas Committees

In January and February 2010, the Dáil na nÓg Council representatives made presentations to:

  • The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Science
  • The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children

The Council representatives presented their work, including the results of theirsurvey on the implementation of the SPHE and RSE in second-level schools in Ireland and sought the following from the Committees:

•To use their power to influence the Minister for Education to implement the SPHE programme at senior cycle.

•All party support for the inclusion of sexual behaviour questions in the HBSC survey.

•To push for RSE to be taught separate to religion. Only 25% of students are getting any RSE in 5th and 6th yr and this is mostly through religion class.

•To ensure on a local level that young people are involved in developing SPHE and RSE polices in their schools.

•To support and work with the Comhairle na nÓg around the country. Ensure they are adequately funded.

•Put teen issues on your party agenda.

Round Table meetings with Ministers and policy makers

In February 2010, the Dáil na nÓg Council conducted Round Table meetings with Minister and policy makers. The purpose of the meetings was for Dáil na nÓg Councillors to outline the work and research undertaken on the two areas under discussion and to seek support from policy-makers in responding to the recommendations from Dáil na nÓg 2009.

Ministers and policy makers who attended the Round Table sessions

  • Barry Andrews, TD, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, (OMCYA) - Chair
  • Margaret Kelly, Department of Education and Science
  • Philip Crowley, Deputy Chief Medical Officer
  • Clive Byrne, Director, National Association for Principals and Deputy Principals
  • Catherine Murphy, Assistant National Director of Population Health/

Health Promotion, HSE

  • Frances Shearer, National Coordinator, RSE Support Service
  • John Hammond, Deputy Chief Executive, NCCA
  • Michael Redmond, Research and Development Officer, Joint Managerial Body

Survey on Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE)

In May and June 2009, members of the Council conducted informal surveys about Relationships and Sexuality Education among their schoolmates and members of their Comhairle na nÓg. The findings of these informal surveys indicated that a low percentage of teenagers are in receipt of any form of RSE and that many senior cycle students receive no formal RSE.

Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in the context of Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) (2007), conducted by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency (CPA) is the most recent research in the area and did not seek the views of second-level students on implementation levels. The above research, which only sought responses from adults, concludes that 40% of schools are high implementers of RSE, 36% are moderate implementers and 24% are low implementers. These findings are quite different to the findings of the informal surveys conducted by the Dáil na nÓg Council, which indicated a much lower level of implementation of RSE.

Aware that its survey was informal, the Dáil na nÓg Council decided to conduct more comprehensive and evidenced-based research with its peers. A researcher was contracted to work with the young people in developing a survey, based largely on the one used in the CPA 2007 Study. With the help of the professional researcher, two questionnaires were developed, one on SPHE for 1st, 2nd and 3rd years and one on RSE for Transition Year (TY), 5th and 6th years. The Dáil na nÓg Council trained as social researchers and administered questionnaires to young people in Comhairle na nÓg around the country in November and December 2009. A total of 354 young people took part in the survey. 134 students from 68 schools took part in the SPHE survey and 220 students from 94 schools took part in the RSE survey.

Key findings from the RSE survey for TY, 5th and 6th years, include:
•74% of students had no RSE classes in 2009
•2% of students were involved in the development of RSE policy in their schools
•In 32% of the schools surveyed, RSE is being taught as part of religion, 21% through SPHE, 6% through biology and 1% through home economics, social education and other subjects
•91% of students felt that it was important or very important to learn RSE in school
•39% highlighted that RSE classes are not helpful in the way they are currently being taught
•The most emphasised theme in the RSE syllabus was ‘healthy relationships’
•The least emphasised theme in the RSE syllabus was ‘understanding sexual orientation’.

Key findings from the SPHE survey for 1st, 2nd and 3rd years, include:
•88% of students had SPHE as a timetabled class
•13% of students were involved in the development of SPHE policy in their schools
•The most emphasised theme in the SPHE syllabus was ‘alcohol, drug and solvent use’
•The least emphasised theme in the SPHE syllabus was ‘decisions and people who influence me’.

The main recommendations in the research for improving SPHE and RSE include:
•more RSE and SPHE classes
•RSE needs to be taught as a subject in its own right, or as part of SPHE senior cycle
•teachers need to be better trained to teach RSE and SPHE
•a wider curriculum - more topics in detail about relationships and sexuality
•use of alternative and creative teaching methodologies
•more open discussion based on young people’s own experiences

These results were published and launched by Minister Andrews in May 2010.

You can access the publication Life Skills Matter: not just points -A survey of implementation of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in second-level schoolson