Question to the Department for Education:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of schemes in schools and colleges to raise awareness of the dangers of online gambling.

We want to support all young people to be happy, healthy and safe and want to equip them for adult life and to make a positive contribution to society. Relationships Education for all primary school-aged pupils, Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) for all secondary school-aged pupils, and Health Education for all pupils in state-funded schools, will become compulsory from 1 September 2020.

In light of the circumstances caused by the COVID-19 outbreak and, following engagement with the sector, the department is reassuring schools that although the subjects will still be compulsory from 1 September 2020, schools have flexibility over how they discharge their duty within the first year of compulsory teaching. For further information, I refer the noble Lord to the answer I gave on 10 June to Question 55660.

The subjects will support all young people in terms of managing risk, making informed decisions, as well as in key aspects such as mental wellbeing and online behaviour. Under the topic of internet safety and harms, the statutory guidance sets out that young people should be taught about the risks related to online gambling, including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them, and how to be a discerning consumer of information online. The statutory guidance can be accessed via the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/relationships-education-relationships-and-sex-education-rse-and-health-education.

As with other aspects of the curriculum, schools will have flexibility over how they deliver these subjects, so they can develop an approach that is sensitive to the needs and background of their pupils. Schools should assess each resource they intend to use, to ensure that it is appropriate for the age and maturity of pupils, and sensitive to their needs. These resources must also be factually accurate. We also expect schools to consult with parents on these matters and to make reasonable decisions about the content of their curriculum.

Many schools draw on the work of subject associations when choosing resources, for example the PSHE Association. They have worked with organisations like Gamble Aware to develop a programme about the dangers of gambling.

To support schools, the department is investing in a central package to help all schools to teach these subjects. We are currently developing a new online service featuring training materials, an implementation guide and case studies. This will cover all of the teaching requirements in the statutory guidance, including modules on how teachers teach about the risks related to online gambling. The first training material, covering mental wellbeing, is now available on GOV.UK, and additional content will be added in the coming months.