The school nurse has a valuable role as a confidante for children who do not want to turn to parents or a teacher with health problems, new research has found. A study into the health of school-age children, carried out by the Social Policy Research Unit at York University for the Department of Health, found the school nurse could listen to children's problems and provide help with difficult issues such as sex education. Up-to-date information offered by a health professional with a non-judgmental approach was found to be a great advantage.