SExual health service

The Pop In Centre is also an approved ‘C Card Outlet’, and this refers to a scheme known as the Condom Card which enables young people to get free condoms, pregnancy tests and information from the centre. The C Card scheme was set up with the intention that young people would be issued with small cards which they had to bring each time they visited the service. In our experience this doesn’t always work well. Cards sometimes get lost or forgotten, so we run the service using the same structure and standards as outlets who operate with C Cards but without the necessity to bring a card with you. It’s as easy as that ……!!

Don’t be embarrassed…….as trained Sexual Health Workers, we understand that calling in to a building and approaching a stranger about such a sensitive issue can be embarrassing. It can be even more of a problem when the building is being used by other young people and you worry about being overheard or seen by others.  We now have a private consultation room upstairs at the Pop In Centre which we hope will overcome barriers to accessing contraception and information.  Please bear in mind the service we run a Sexual health Service, and as workers we are firstly concerned about the health of young people and are not here to judge what you do. The service exists to help keep young people in good health and as safe as possible.

When it comes to sexual health services young people have a right to a standard of care which is the same if you are over 16 or under 16, male or female, gay or straight. As trained workers there are processes, we need to follow to ensure you are receiving a good standard of service. During your visit you will be asked to complete a registration form. Please be assured recorded information is not shared with anyone unless we have concerns that someone is at risk of serious harm. In these circumstances we will discuss this with you first, but ultimately as workers we have a duty by law to keep you Safe from harm. We will ask your age. If anyone is aged between 13 and 15, we need to follow a process called the Fraser Guidelines which means we would need to be confident that you have enough understanding of the decision you are making. We will always encourage you to talk to your parents or carers about your decision. Sometimes we might decide that a young person under 16 is not mature enough to make their own decisions about their treatment without their parent’s or carers involvement, a under these circumstances we would encourage you to talk to your parent or carer before planning to have sex. Please remember that we have a responsibility to keep you safe and asking you certain questions will help us understand your needs much better. Unfortunately, we are not registered to provide emergency contraception, but would always help to find you somewhere that can.