Sexual health advice for the young

A NEW scheme providing free condoms and sexual health advice to young people has launched in Warrington.
C Card, developed by public health experts at NHS Warrington, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust and Warrington Borough Council’s Youth Advice Shop, is a confidential service for people aged 19 and under.
The borough wide scheme ensures that contraception and sexual health advice is more accessible.
After an informal and confidential chat with a trained professional, a young person will be given a C-Card which they can then use discreetly at a number of venues across the town, to obtain free condoms and support, without the need for form filling.
C Card operates from 19 sites, with the Youth Advice Shop on Sankey Street one of the first venues to go live.
Each site will be staffed by professionals who have been trained in sexual health matters and can signpost young people to a range of sexual and reproductive health services if needed.
Already popular in other parts of the country, the scheme has proved to be a successful way of communicating with young people about sexual health, sexually transmitted infections and the importance of safe sex.
Rita Robertson, director of Public Health for Warrington said: “We want to arm our young people with the skills to make positive choices about using contraception and having healthy sexual relationships. It is incredibly important that we provide sound sexual health advice and support services that are easily accessible and target those who are most at risk”.
NHS Warrington has implemented strict safeguarding measures to ensure that contraceptive supplies will only be issued on an age appropriate basis.
C Card is available from the following locations: Youth Advice Shop, Sankey Street; Youth Advice Shop, Birchwood High School; The Youth Café; Orford Youth Base; Westy Children’s Centre; Dallam Children’s Centre; The Orchard Children’s Centre, Padgate; The Beeches, Sandy Lane, Orford; Sunshine Children’s Centre, Fairfield & Howley; The Woodlands Children’s Centre, Birchwood; Sankey Valley Children’s Centre; Callands Children’s Centre; Warrington Youth Club at the Peace Centre; Warrington Disability Partnership (WDP); HM Youth Offenders Institute, Thorn Cross; Halton and Warrington Youth Offending Service; Warrington Wolves; Warrington Collegiate; Priestley College.
The card will be available at additional sites by September.