Research Projects: Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in the context of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE); a qualitative assessment of the challenges to full implementation of the programme

Invitation To Tender

Accurate and clear knowledge about sex and reproduction is a prerequisite for positive sexual and reproductive health. School based sex education is one way in which young people acquire such knowledge.

Sex education has been delivered in Irish schools at varying levels over a number of decades. However there is a dearth of research relating to how it has been delivered and received. A number of regional studies have been carried out with young people in Ireland, providing some information (McHale 1997, Dempsey 2000, Sheerin 1998, Bonner 1996, Dunne 1997). Some were localised or small scale studies and made no claim for wider generalisability; few focussed on school based sex education per se, but the studies provide some information which indicated that sex education had been received by a majority of respondents, but had been inadequate.

More thoroughgoing studies on RSE have been conducted that focussed on evaluating the implementation of the new RSE programme. This work conducted by the SPHE management group, Dr Mark Morgan (Morgan, 2000), and a second study by North Western Health Board (NWHB) are discussed in an attached appendix 1.

1. The Current study:
The current study will build upon research to date and will focus on the structures, process and outcomes related to RSE implementation and delivery at a number of levels; these to range from national (DoES & DoHC) to local (classroom) level.

The study is jointly funded by the CPA and Department of Education and Science.

2. Research Aim:
The purpose of the research is to identify barriers and facilitators to RSE implementation and delivery at policy and practitioner level.

This study aims to explore the policy issues at all levels that impact on RSE delivery and the issues related to implementing Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) in the context of Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) in Post Primary schools.

3. Research Elements:
1. Points of Influence
The study will qualitatively provide information to aid the identification of barriers to full implementation of the RSE/SPHE programme at a number of points of influence listed below. Factors that facilitate RSE implementation will likewise be identified. The points of influence include:

• National Level
  • Departmental level (DoES & DoHC)
  • Professional associations (trades unions) or special interest groups at local or school level, if any, that promote or hinder the delivery of RSE.
  • Regional level
• SPHE support teams at health board level
• Outside agencies who provide support for RSE delivery in the school (e.g. health board personnel, members of ACCORD etc.) where these supports are regularly used
• School Level
  • Parents of younger and older adolescents.
  • Board of Management level
  • Principal level
  • Teacher level: teachers in general and SPHE/ RSE teachers in particular

2. Topic Guide

• The range of issues (topic guide) will vary depending on the level being explored.

3. Deliverables in terms of Recommendations and Findings

• The research will provide a series of conclusions of the major barriers and facilitators to RSE implementation at national, regional and local level.
• The research will deliver a series of recommendations for policy at national, regional and local level in relation to RSE in the context of efficacy in RSE implementation.
• The research will deliver a series of recommendations for practice at regional and local level in relation to RSE in the context of efficacy in RSE implementation. This will include a series of recommendations for the training and support of teachers in the delivery of RSE/SPHE.
• It will provide information from the perspective of parents and other relevant groups that impact on RSE/SPHE implementation and delivery, and recommendations for further work.

4. Research Deliverables
1. Summary report (a shortened version of the full research report summarising the main findings)

2. Draft final report including key points of relevance to practice and policy outlined at the end of the report.

3. Finalised report with key points of relevance to practice and policy outlined at the end of the report.

4. Presentation of findings

5. Methodology and sampling considerations:
The study will make comparisons across schools in terms of RSE policy, implementation and delivery using a case study approach. It is envisaged that some schools who have achieved high levels of RSE implementation could be compared with schools showing low levels of implementation.

5.a) Sampling and Data collection
Two strands to sampling are envisaged:

1. Key informants would be identified at a number of structural areas at national level. Figure 1 provides a guide to the structures involved, though this is not exhaustive. For most of these a 1-1 interview is envisaged.

2. Qualitative research using one-to-one interviews in schools.

A sample of schools will be selected and invited to participate; selection criteria will be based on, and seek to reflect, the spectrum of current levels of RSE implementation. A minimum of ten schools will be selected bearing in mind gender of students (all boys, all girls or mixed)and management structure (Voluntary Secondary Schools,, Vocational Schools and Community Colleges, Community and Comprehensive Schools).
At local and regional level, representatives of structures (e.g. regional SPHE support teams, local Boards of Management) that relate to the participating schools, are of particular interest to the study. The purpose of this sampling strategy is to explore, at each level, what ‘works’ in terms of RSE delivery, and what does not. Barriers and facilitators at each level could be thus identified.

Within the schools sampled, those invited to participate will include the following

• Board of Management
• School principal
• Teachers of RSE
• Teachers of SPHE
• Students
• Parent group

5.b) Data gathering Figure 1 suggests the type of interview at each level.

Figure 1 - Towards a Study Design

6. Liaison Arrangements
A Management Group representing the CPA and the DoES will appoint a Steering Group to oversee the project on an ongoing basis. The steering group, together with invited experts will award the tender. Those tendering for the project may be asked to present to this group to assist final selection.

7. Budget guidance and proposed timeframe
The budget allocated for this study is the region of €50,000 to €70,000 inclusive of VAT.
The timeframe envisaged for conducting this study is 9 months with a view to starting data collection as early as is feasible in the coming year. Researchers tendering for the project are encouraged to suggest details of their anticipated timeframe. The school year will need to be considered in the design.

8. Further Considerations
a) There are two pieces of research commissioned by the CPA of relevance to this study; one is a qualitative study among school going teenagers and the second is among early school leavers into issues relating to sexual and reproductive health. These include an element which addresses the experiences of RSE and those who teach it, from the perspective of the student. The reports of these studies will be available to the successful tenderers.

The CPA/DoES is open to suggestions regarding innovative data collection methods which may be suited to the study aims and population. For instance, consideration may be given to creating a forum in which student and teacher representatives could discuss the issues surrounding RSE/SPHE with a view to identifying areas of concern and resolution.

b) Ethical Considerations
Ethical issues, and issues of participation and access are likely to be major challenges to the feasibility of this potential study.
Such a study will be cognisant of ethical issues relating to the participation of minors in research, the requirements for parental consent and the sensitivities surrounding the issue of teaching about sexuality in a school setting.

Tendering
All tenders should be submitted in triplicate. The closing date for receipt of tenders is August 20th, 2004. It is anticipated that those short-listed would be interviewed August 30th and the tender awarded early September.
Appendix 1: Implementation Research on RSE
With the Report of the Expert Advisory Group on RSE (1995) a new programme for development of RSE in the context of SPHE was initiated. The Department of Education and Science (DoES), in partnership with the Department of Health and Children (DoHC) are supporting the programme for the delivery of RSE in the context of SPHE at Post Primary Junior Cycle level. It is funded jointly by the DoHC and DoES under the National Development Plan 2000-2006.

The integrated RSE / SPHE curriculum is mandatory as of Autumn 2003 at primary level and for Junior Cycle students at post primary level. The SPHE curriculum for Senior Cycle, is still in development and is not yet ready for implementation.. All post-primary schools are required to provide a suitable Relationships and Sexuality Education Programme in place for senior cycle students and also to have an agreed RSE policy in place.
Since the introduction of the RSE/SPHE programme, studies evaluating the implementation of the programme have been conducted. Dr Mark Morgan’s
report (Morgan 2000) found that there was agreement among teachers and parents regarding the key principles on which the RSE programme is based and a strong endorsement of the approach taken to dealing with sexuality within the programme. However he found implementation levels varied widely and among the key challenges to full implementation were a crowded curriculum and adequate supports for RSE teachers. School principals were identified as a key factor in supporting RSE implementation.

Further evaluation of the implementation of the RSE/SPHE programme was conducted by the North Western Health Board in 2002 in conjunction with the DoES. A sample of schools in the NWHB health board region participated in an evaluation exercise that used qualitative methods among school principles, programme coordinators and key teachers in post primary schools. Again considerable unevenness was reported in terms of implementation of both SPHE and the RSE component within it. The experience of teaching RSE was generally reported as positive but there was confusion regarding the integrated programme and apprehension among teachers who had not yet engaged with it.

Recommendations included the provision of more information for educators at all levels and committed supports for teachers.
Ongoing assessment by the DoES shows improving rates of implementation though with continuing unevenness observed across schools and classes.
There is no direct assessment of students’ views in relation to the programme and no evaluations of effectiveness in terms of future behaviour have been completed in an Irish context.

References
Bonner, C. (1996). Sexual Practices of 16-18 year-olds in the Midland Health Board. Department of Public Health in Midland Health Board
Dunne, M., Seery, D.¸ O’Mahoney, E., Grogan, M. et al., (1997). ‘What on Earth are They Doing?’ AIDS Alliance, Cork.
M.Dempsey, J.Heslin, C.Bradley (2000) ‘The experience of teenage pregnancy’
Research report of study for SEHB, March 2000.
Kirby D (1995) A review of educational programs designed to reduce sexual risk-taking behaviors among school-age youth in the United States. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment.
McHale, E. & Newell, J. (1997). Sexual Behaviour and Sex Education in Irish School-going Teenagers. International Journal of Sexually Transmitted Disease and AIDS. 8: 196 – 200.
Morgan, M. (2000) Relationships and Sexuality Education; An Evaluation and Review of Implementation
Sheerin, E. (1998). ‘Life As It Is: Values, Attitudes and Norms from the Perspective of Midlands Youth’. Midland Health Board.
Additional references:
Junior Cycle Social, Personal and Health Education Curriculum, Department of Education and Science, Stationery Office, 2000.

Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools, 2002/2003, Department of Education and Science, Stationery Office, 2002.