Spring at The Hive
University of Worcester Public Lecture Series:
Consent from Early Years to Teens with Holly Barnes-Bennetts
Tuesday 21 May, 6:30pm-8pm
Consent is not just a sexual issue but a social issue. In a post #MeToo world people are more and more aware of the 'issue' of sexual consent. We can see this reflected in the changes to the UK Relationship and Sex Education curriculum in 2021 which was amended to include education on consent. The problem with this is that consent is a broad concept with links to issues of bodily autonomy, respect and empathy which simply cannot be taught during one hour in secondary school.
This talk looks at how we might go about embedding the concept of consent in the minds of the next generation from their early years. We will discuss teaching children and young people to understand their own bodily autonomy, develop personal boundaries and to respect that of others, and supporting childhood empathy. This will lead into a discussion of how to support the development of these practices in teenagers, particularly in the area of sexual intimacy.
The University of Worcester Public Lecture Series aims to provide an opportunity for the public to engage with academic research as it is developed, and providing a platform for academic researchers to share their work.
University of Worcester Public Lecture Series:
Exclusion from Mainstream Primary Schools in the West Midlands with Megan Whitehouse
Tuesday 11 June, 6:30pm-8pm
Approached from a perspective that considers 'childism' and feminist care ethics as tools for thinking differently, this talk will examine how and why children are excluded from primary schools in England, with a particular focus on the West Midlands. In doing so, recently conducted research involving education professionals and parents of children excluded from primary school will be drawn upon in order to explore the key concerns surrounding the practice of exlcusion; leading into a broader conversation about what primary school exclusion can tell us about the issues faced by the school system today. This talk will be relevant to educators, parents and others concerned about the use of exclusion at the primary school level. There will be some time set aside at the end of the talk for a group discussion and general Q&A.
Anyone attending should feel welcome to bring along their children and/or any other dependents.
The University of Worcester Public Lecture Series aims to provide an opportunity for the public to engage with academic research as it is developed, and providing a platform for academic researchers to share their work.