Anatomically correct dolls form part of Sussex teacher’s sex education tool kit for young people with learning difficulties

A teacher at Chailey Heritage Foundation in North Chailey has produced a sex education ‘tool kit’ to help educate pupils with complex learning difficulties.
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Helen Dunman, who has been teaching PSHE and Drama to young people with neurodisabilities for 30 years, has created The Sex Factor course.

This covers topics like puberty, relationships, diversity and safety, and it uses anatomically correct dolls and stories.

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Relationship and Sex Education Training will be compulsory at all primary and secondary schools from September.

Helen Dunman from Chailey Heritage Foundation has produced a sex education tool kit called The Sex Factor to help educate pupils with learning difficulties. Picture: Chailey Heritage Foundation.Helen Dunman from Chailey Heritage Foundation has produced a sex education tool kit called The Sex Factor to help educate pupils with learning difficulties. Picture: Chailey Heritage Foundation.
Helen Dunman from Chailey Heritage Foundation has produced a sex education tool kit called The Sex Factor to help educate pupils with learning difficulties. Picture: Chailey Heritage Foundation.

“It is vitally important that we have adaptive RSE training for these young people and children to learn to stay safe, understand their bodies, and explore their relationships and sexuality in full,” said Helen.

“Until now, staff have been ill equipped to teach RSE to this group of pupils and there has been a lack of appropriate resources,” she said.

Helen, who won the Inspirational Educator award from the Worshipful Company of Educators in 2017, said the course will give all pupils access to important information that could change their lives.

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“RSE is an important and serious subject, which we hope will equip the people we work with to learn more about themselves,” she said.

Helen Dunman from Chailey Heritage Foundation has produced a sex education tool kit called The Sex Factor to help educate pupils with learning difficulties. Picture: Chailey Heritage Foundation.Helen Dunman from Chailey Heritage Foundation has produced a sex education tool kit called The Sex Factor to help educate pupils with learning difficulties. Picture: Chailey Heritage Foundation.
Helen Dunman from Chailey Heritage Foundation has produced a sex education tool kit called The Sex Factor to help educate pupils with learning difficulties. Picture: Chailey Heritage Foundation.

But Helen added that young people should also enjoy the sessions and feel comfortable talking about personal issues while having fun learning.

Chailey Heritage Foundation has already received requests from UK schools, teachers, carers and parents for The Sex Factor material.

The resources include online training opportunities, a handbook, 30 ready-to-teach story lesson plans, supporting video content, online support and discussion forums and advice on sourcing anatomically correct dolls.

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Virtual interactive training is available for smaller groups or individuals and all candidates receive a 12 month subscription to The Sex Factor digital resource hub, the handbook and updates.

Headteacher of Chailey Heritage School Simon Yates said the school is proud of Helen for her work, which puts the school ‘at the forefront of education for children and young people with complex physical and learning disabilities’.

“Our reputation for providing excellent education will be enhanced by Helen’s vision of RSE for all and we look forward to sharing it with colleagues across the country,” he said.

More details on The Sex Factor can be found at chf.org.uk.