According to the World Health Organisation Sexual health is “a state of physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence”.
At IYC we do not teach young people how to have sex or encourage them to become sexually active, instead we actively focus on raising awareness of sexual health issues including the potential risks / unintended outcomes of sexual activity such as unplanned pregnancy, Sexually transmitted infections and regret. We teach young people about the stages of puberty, the effects on their bodies and emotions and encourage the building of self esteem through the understanding and importance of developing positive relationships.
We work strictly according to the Gillick Competency Fraser Guidelines* to enable young people to make informed choices about their relationships and when they feel ready for next step that they do so safely and not under any pressure of other people / outside influences.
Young people visiting IYC are encouraged to talk to their parents, carers or health professionals about their sexual health to seek further advice and information.
*Gillick competency and Fraser guidelines refer to a legal case which looked specifically at whether doctors should be able to give contraceptive advice or treatment to under 16-year-olds without parental consent. But since then, they have been more widely used to help assess whether a child has the maturity to make their own decisions and to understand the implications of those decisions.
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