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Questions about Consent

Consent means that you have given permission, and that someone has given you permission to engage in any intimate activity for sex.

Consent in sex is very important. It means that everyone involved in the sexual activity wants to be involved.

Any sexual contact without consent is illegal regardless of the age, gender and sexuality of the people involved. In the UK, the age of consent for sexual activity is 16.

  • Even if someone hasn’t said no, that doesn’t mean you should assume that they want to have sex.

  • If someone has been drinking alcohol, or taking drugs, they may not be able to consent to sex.

  • If someone is asleep or unconscious, they cannot give consent.

It’s always best to ask! 

It’s important to remember that you always have a right to say no to any form of sex or sexual activity – and/or to withdraw your consent – at any time.

It doesn’t matter who the other person is, what your relationship with them is, or how far you’ve gone with them or others in the past.

Remember, yes once doesn't mean yes always and its ok to change your mind. You need to have and give enthusiastic consent.

Any sexual contact without consent is illegal regardless of the age, gender and sexuality of the people involved.

In the UK, the age of consent for sexual activity is 16. This law is designed to protect young people from abuse, harm or being taken advantage of by adults.

Sometimes people don’t really understand what consent means in different situations.

When it comes to consent, its best to find out the right information before you are ready for sex.

Check out some of the myths and facts here: Consent myths and facts - Brook

If you are worried about consent, or you are unsure about a situation and need to talk to someone, there are a number of ways you can seek support.

  • Talk to a trusted adult, such as a teacher, a group leader or older sibling
  • Talk to a health care professional, such as a nurse or GP, including at a sexual health clinic
  • You can also contact Childline who offer support to young people 24/7
  • Or for more information, advice and other services click here

If you are worried that you may have been sexually assaulted or raped, our Treetops service is here to offer emotional support and practical help. 

Questions about Confidentiality

Confidentiality means that we do not share your information without your consent, and we won’t tell anyone else.

Even if you are aged under 16 years old, you can attend our clinics alone but you can also bring someone to support you while you wait.

We do not share your information with anyone else even a parent, guardian, carer or GP.

The only time we would tell anyone else about your visit would be if:

  • You are under 18 and tell us about someone who has abused you sexually, physically or emotionally
  • You are 12 or under and tell us that someone has had sex with you
  • Your life is at serious risk
  • You tell us about someone under 18 who is being abused
  • Another person’s life is at risk

But we would discuss this with you first and give you all the support you need.

Yes.

When you arrive, we will ask for your name and some other details to check that we have the correct information before you take a seat in the waiting area.

A nurse or doctor will then take you into a private clinic room for your appointment.

 

No, however if we are worried about your safety or the safety of someone else, then we might need to tell another professional who could help you. But we would discuss this with you first and give you the support you need.

Even if you’re 13 to 18 years old, we will still keep your information private. This means that we won't tell your parents, or anyone else without your permission.

Yes, you can bring anyone you trust to be with you during your visit.

However, the nurse or doctor will need to see you on your own at the beginning of your appointment.  This is so that we can ask you some personal questions and support you appropriately.

You can ask for a chaperone at any time during your appointment. A chaperone is a health care professional who can be in the room with you during your consultation to provide you with support and also provide assistance to the nurse or doctor during examinations and procedures.

On the parcel will be your name and address, alongside a postal stamp.

We do not put anything on the parcel to say what is inside and where it came from.

It also fits through a standard letterbox, so you don’t need to be home when it arrives.

To order free condoms online, click here www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/condoms

 

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Questions about Condoms

A condom is designed to cover the penis in order to stop fluids been passed from one person to another when you have sex.

They are made from a very thin rubber, usually made from latex and when used correctly, they help to stop pregnancy, when you are not ready to have a baby, and Sexually Transmitted Infections like Chlamydia.

To find out more about how condoms work and to where you can get them for free, including online condoms online click here www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/condoms

With a little bit of practice condoms are easy to put on and are very good at helping to stop pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections when used correctly.

For top tips click here: www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/condoms

If a condom breaks or splits during use, you need to remove the condom and replace with a new one.

If a condom has broken during sex, there is a risk of pregnancy.

You can take emergency contraception to reduce the risk of pregnancy, but it is important to seek this as soon as possible after you have had sex as it works best the sooner it is taken. 

Click here https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/emergency-contraception for more information and how to get emergency contraception.

You may also need to test for a Sexually Transmitted Infection, such as Chlamydia, but don’t worry, help is free and private.

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Get it On (GIO) is your local condom scheme which helps anyone under 25 to pick up free condoms from many different places, even if you are under 16. Once you have had a private conversation with a trained professional, you will be given a C-Card that looks like this and you can visit a GIO site, show your C-Card and get free condoms.

Many young people like the freedom of being able to pick up condoms and seek advice and support at the same time.

Click here https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/get-it-condom-card for more information and to find your nearest GIO site.

Questions about Contraception

Contraception is used to help stop a pregnancy when you are not ready to have a baby.

It is free, and there are many different types available to suit you. What works best for one person may not work best for another person.

You can find out more about your choices with the ‘what’s right for me?’ contraception tool, available here https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception 

You can discuss options with a nurse or doctor.

For more information about contraception click here https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception

Yes, you can get pregnant even if it’s the first time you have sex.

If you are not ready to have a baby, you should use contraception which is used to help stop pregnancy. 

It is free and there are many different types available. Check out our online tool so see which contraception can work best for you. https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception

If you have had sex without a condom, or you are worried that your condom has broken, you may be at risk of pregnancy. You can take emergency contraception to help prevent pregnancy, but it is important to seek this as soon as possible after you have had sex as it works best the sooner it is taken. 

 

For more information about emergency contraception, click here https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/emergency-contraception

Yes, when used correctly condoms help stop pregnancy.

Condoms are great because they also help to stop you or your partner getting a Sexually Transmitted Infection, like Chlamydia.

Condoms are free and you can get them from different places:

Contraception is free and you can get different types of contraception from a Sexual Health Clinic or your GP. You can also get some types of contraception from a pharmacist.

There are many different types available, it is important to find out more about what these are so you can think about which types are best for you.

You can find out more about your choices with the ‘what’s right for me?’ contraception tool, available here https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception 

Emergency contraception can be used to stop pregnancy after having sex.

Emergency contraception is commonly called "The morning after pill" or "EC”.  If you have had sex without using contraception, or think your contraception might have failed, you can use emergency contraception.

It’s free, and it’s important to get emergency contraception as soon as possible after having unprotected sex. Find out more and where you can get it from here. https://www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/emergency-contraception

Questions about Chlamydia

Chlamydia is a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). It is passed from one person to another during during sex.

Chlamydia can be prevented and treated.

Many people don’t know that they have Chlamydia as it often doesn’t have any symptoms.

You can get tested for free at a sexual health clinic or online. It is easy and private.

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You can prevent getting a Chlamydia infection by using a condom.

Condoms work really well in stopping sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like Chlamydia from being passed from one person to another when you have sex.

Condoms are free and you can get condoms even if you are not yet ready for sex, and just want to learn a bit more about how to use them for when you are ready.

If you are worried that you have Chlamydia do not worry, Chlamydia can be and treated, and we can support you to help prevent it from happening again.

Many people don’t know that they have Chlamydia as it often doesn’t have any symptoms.

To get free condoms:

 

To get a free test for Chlamydia:

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If you have had sex without using a condom, you could have Chlamydia. Many people don’t know that they have Chlamydia as it often doesn’t have any symptoms.

Chlamydia is a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI). It is passed from one person to another during any kind of sex, but do not worry, it can be treated. 

All you need to do is a simple test, which is a urine sample or a swab. You can get a free test online, or at a Sexual Health Clinic and its completely confidential.

To get a free test for Chlamydia:

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If you do have Chlamydia, you can take antibiotics (pills) to treat it. This is free from a Sexual Health Clinic.

If you have had a test result telling you that you are positive for Chlamydia, or a partner has told you that they have Chlamydia, do not worry, contact us for treatment and make sure you do not have any further sexual contact with anyone until you have been treated.

You can also get treatment from GPs and Pharmacies if you prefer, but it might not be free.

Yes – you can get Chlamydia every time you have sex without a condom.

Condoms work really well in stopping sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like Chlamydia from being passed from one person to another when you have sex. If you think that your condom has failed, you can still get Chlamydia.  

Condoms are free and you can get condoms even if you are not yet ready for sex, and just want to learn a bit more about how to use them for when you are ready.

With a little bit of practice condoms are easy to put on and are very good at helping to stop pregnancy and Sexually Transmitted Infections when used correctly.

For top tips click here: www.letstalkaboutit.nhs.uk/contraception/condoms

Where can I get condoms for FREE?

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