Real Love Rocks

We offer a six week interactive programme to Year 6 children in primary schools. The programme has been developed by Barnardo’s to promote healthy, consensual, safe relationships amongst children and young people. It seeks to raise awareness of grooming, child sexual exploitation and online safety.

The programme will be delivered by two of our therapists, one who has many years of experience working for Children Social Care within Child Protection. We also have a therapist on our team who was previously a primary school teacher who supports the delivery of the programme. Many of our counsellors/ therapists have experience delivering programmes of psychoeducation to primary school children.

The programme contains animations, games and activities and stories of real young people. Real Loves Rocks is also working on some new content which is available late Summer 2021 which is trauma informed covering Child Criminal Exploitation (CCE), Radicalisation and the world online, in addition to an update of existing content, making it more relevant to our children and young people of today.

We always endeavour to create good working relationships therefore we meet with school staff initially to discuss the cohort the programme will be delivered to, identifying the needs and tailoring the delivery in-line with the schools policies and ethos.

Following the sessions we are always available to support children with any issues that may have been raised during the programme. We can also support teachers to set up a support system within the cohort creating a more open and honest environment where children can talk openly. All our therapists have experience of working in schools and have enhanced DBS checks.

One young person said:

“That’s why Real Love Rocks is important, it’s like anything, if they teach it to you in school it just becomes natural, something you just know. Kids that do Real Love Rocks will be able to know the signs, understand what a healthy relationship is… before it all goes wrong. That’s why I think it’s good there are Real Love Rocks for primary schools, I was 12 when it started happening to me… I needed warning before then.”

Quote from young person involved in developing the real love rocks

Assistant Director for Barnardo’s, Sue Cuffe, said:

“We recognise that as parents and professionals, talking to children and young people about sex and relationships is difficult. The natural reaction of most adults is to protect our children and to preserve their innocence for as long as possible. But the sad reality is that there are adults and peers who sexually abuse and exploit children and young people and take advantage of their innocence. Perpetrators now have greater access to our children through the internet and social media.

We cannot always be there for our children and young people and, therefore, we have a responsibility to equip them with knowledge to help keep themselves safe. We have to educate them about healthy relationships. Children need the knowledge and confidence to speak out in case someone makes them feel uncomfortable and to be able to resist peer pressure”.