This video, for teachers of KS3 and KS4 PSHE, looks at the role school staff can play with helping students prepare for and deal with the emotional side of sex and relationships.
PSHE consultant, trainer and writer Lesley de Meza feels that schools tend to concentrate too much on the biological aspects of sex at the expense of tackling issues such as relationships and feelings. She believes young people need to know that relationships can and do go wrong.
A 16-year -old girl, talks vividly about her experiences with a relationship which went from her being treated "like a princess" to violence, pregnancy, self-harm and suicide attempts.
With the help of school-based youth worker Steven Uttley, she managed to pull back from the brink and now talks openly about the physical and mental anguish she endured as well as the signs young women should look for, in potentially abusive relationships.
Steven explains how schools can provide a safe haven for young people to discuss and explore their feelings and that teachers should draw on experiences of pupils, to help explore the kinds of relationships they may encounter in the future.
