Table 1

Summary of results from stages 1, 2 and 3.

ComponentStage 1: interviews/focus groupsStage 2:  e-surveyStage 3: stakeholder consultation
Students (24 focus groups, n=74 male and n=60 female).Staff (10 further education (FE) staff focus groups, n=44, 11 FE manager interviews and 12 sexual health charity staff interviews).Students (n=2105).Staff (n=168).Educators, health and government professionals and practitioners (n=30) and a young people’s advisory group.
Student-led sexual health action groupsLargely negative.
Students are too busy.
Student do not expect groups to be effective.
Students do not want to take part in groups of this nature.		Staff perceive multiple barriers including: student embarrassment, engagement, motivation and cohort transience.
Incentives not sufficient.
Limited college funding and support.		Low enthusiasm from student and staff meant that this component was not taken forward to stage 2 and was therefore not discussed at stage 3.
On-site access to sexual health servicesLargely positive.
Desired provision: free contraception, STI screening, pregnancy testing and advice.
Accessible but discreet location.
Knowledgeable, trustworthy, non-judgemental, consistent staff who students can relate to.
Drop in service several times a week at varied times of the day.
Well publicised via college staff, digital and social media.		Largely positive.
Offering a range of contraception and testing services, and inclusive of advice, support and emotional care.
Support to publicise services.
Sustainability for on-site services (financial and staff support).		% students did not know if their college provided:
77% STI testing;
68% pregnancy testing;
66% contraception;
47% condoms;
46% advice;
88% of sexually active students had never attended on-site services;
44% of sexually active students would attend an on-site service if freely available and not run by teachers.
% of students wanting services:
63% advice, support, information or counselling;
64% condoms;
47% emergency contraception;
46% pregnancy testing;
46% other contraceptives;
48% wanted services after college;
41% wanted services during lunchtime.		35% of staff did not know if sexual health and relationships services were available for their students.Deliver a range of contraceptive, testing and advice and support services by a trained youth friendly, health professional in a way that is non-stigmatising and promotes confidentiality.
The services need to be open at least twice a week and located in an accessible but anonymous location.
Services need to be well publicised to increase student and staff awareness.
Digital messages with information and signposting should be incorporated into publicity.
Staff training in safeguarding about sexual health and relationshipsLargely positive.
Students wanted staff to identify and respond appropriately.
Students wanted staff to be able to distinguish ‘banter’.
Students wanted all staff to be trained so that they can approach any member.		Staff need support and training when responding to safeguarding issues on these topics.
Staff want to take preventative action.
All colleagues to be trained.
Raised concerns about staff engagement in training and implementation of safeguarding.		44% agreed that staff took appropriate action to stop students calling each other offensive names such as slut or slag.
38% would speak to a member of staff about dating or relationship violence if it was happening to someone in college.
36% would speak to a member of staff about dating or relationship violence if it was happening to someone outside college.		% staff who felt confident intervening if they saw:
90% a student being called offensive names;
87% being unwantedly touched, groped or kissed;
83% with a sexually explicit image of another student on their phone;
83% watching pornography on their mobile phone, tablet or laptop;
47% received safeguarding training specifically about sexual health and relationships;
67% wanted all staff to be trained in safeguarding about sex and relationships;
75% wanted compulsory staff training;
35% wanted training yearly;
47% wanted face-to-face training.
Staff training priorities: 90% identifying safeguarding training in DRV;
90% responding appropriately to DRV;
89% preventing sexualised language/behaviour at FE settings;
86% sending sexually explicit images;
86% young people’s use of pornography;
83% answering questions about sexual health;
83% consent, sex and the law.		Staff training needs to be delivered to all members of FE staff.
It would need to be face-to-face and cover topics such as recognising signs of dating and relationship, and gender-based violence, how to take appropriate action when faced with students presenting with these issues, and how to signpost students to appropriate services.
Sex and Relationships Education (SRE)SRE in FE was overwhelmingly considered too late in young people’s lives.
Students wanted a wider range of SRE, not just focussing on STIs and contraception.
SRE delivery by knowledgeable, non-judgemental, easy to relate to staff.
Students anticipated lack of engagement in SRE lessons.		Students should receive SRE earlier in their education.
Staff felt the lacked knowledge, training and credibility to deliver SRE to students.
Barriers to SRE delivery included varied student knowledge and experience, student engagement and timetabling issues.		% who felt their FE setting taught them about:
21% safe sex;
20% healthy relationships;
33% what to do if students call other students sexually offensive names;
28% safety when online dating;
35% giving consent when having sex;
32% who to go to if they or a friend experience forms of DRV.
% who wanted their FE setting to teach them about:
54% what to do if students call other students sexually offensive names;
54% safety when online dating;
57% giving consent when having sex;
60% who to go to if they or a friend experience forms of DRV;
82% felt that SRE should be taught by specialised SRE/health education staff;
61% felt SRE should be taught by external organisations.		SRE delivered at FE level was generally considered too late for young people and was therefore not discussed at stage 3.