If it is not challenged then it will continue to adversely affect and limit all parts of society.

In addition to the provision of education, young people also need good quality sildenafil citrate and vardenafil buy online, accessible services from health and social care professionals about sexual health, STIs, contraception and relationships. They have a right to confidential advice: anxiety about confidentiality can be a major deterrent to not seeking advice. One of the first reasons that young people contact health services independently is when they need emergency contraception or a pregnancy test. Young people may return repeatedly for emergency contraception or pregnancy tests and these visits can be used as opportunities for sexual health and/or relationships advice.

This advice may not be acted on by the young person immediately but may form the basis of a positive advisory relationship for the future. Essential elements for sexual health services for young people include the core provision of reproductive health advice within accessible and young person-friendly settings where non-judgemental staff of both genders are available to offer advice and treatment to self-referred young people. Staff should be aware of issues of consent and competence, confidentiality and clinical care and there should be clearly defined routes of liaison with other child welfare services.

Kristin Luker’s work on young people’s contraceptive decisions identified that young people use a type of cost–benefit analysis in relation to their behaviour, with the short-term risks of having to admit to being sexually active and risking disapproval or loss of reputation sometimes far outweighing the more serious but distant risks of an STI or an unplanned pregnancy. Services thus have to work to ensure that their reputation for discretion and respect can overcome young people’s anxiety and embarrassment.

Professionals need to treat young people with respect and provide them with sufficient time and support to make informed choices about their existing and future sexual behaviour. The avoidance of a moralizing or paternalistic response is key.

Apart from the provision of education and services, parents, carers, educators and health and social care professionals need to provide the ingredients through which children and young people can develop a happy, healthy sexuality including:

  • love, affection, respect and acceptance to help provide the young person with a strong sense of identity and self-esteem
  • security and safety, which includes protection from exploitation and abuse as well as the chance to experiment and take risks in order to build resilience and future independence
  • good relationship role-models within the family or wider social circles
  • support for any developing relationships
  • sources of advice, both within and outside the family environment, with the understanding that, for most young people, some topics will always remain private from their parents.