Meeting children's health needs

Schools build lifelong healthy habits; it is easier to start good habits in childhood than to change bad ones later. The leading causes of disease and social problems include inactivity, unhealthy diet, substance misuse, stress, injury and violence, and risky behaviour.

Teachers address students' varied needs through good teaching, counselling and referral, work with parents, and run health programmes: games and sport, nutrition education and substance-misuse prevention.

Adolescents often avoid health services because of shyness, lack of privacy or unfriendly staff; adolescent-friendly health clinics with trained, sensitive workers are being set up.

Trained peer educators (facilitators) help other adolescents speak up and seek help, and assist teachers in programmes.

A good peer facilitator listens, knows the issues, is friendly and trusted, non-judgmental and discreet, a role model, and knows their limits, referring sensitive problems to teachers or health services.