|
|
 |
| TOPIC: COMMUNICATION |
| Sexual health and teenagers |
 |
| Young people are the least likely to access sexual health services and yet their sexual health needs are the greatest of any age group. To improve uptake of sexual health services in teenagers, services should be friendly, welcoming and publicise a strict confidentiality policy. |
|
| Health professionals who work with young people should be trained in how to communicate effectively with them and should offer them advice and support in making their own decisions about sexual health. It is legal to provide contraception to children under 16 years old without parental knowledge if it is in the child's best interests and the child is considered to be competent to make their own treatment decisions. |
|
| In cases of suspected sexual abuse, local child protection procedures should be implemented. |
|
| Other related topic areas: Child protection │Contraception |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
