Children & Young People's Service
19 April 2012
Sexual health text line helps over 1,000 young people
Over 1,000 young people received advice through a confidential sexual health text line in the last year.
'POP' provides friendly and anonymous advice to young people across Leicestershire about a range of issues.
These include relationship concerns, information about local services or more specific enquiries about contraception or sexual health worries.
More than 100 texts were sent to POP (Pop in. Catch on) in February, which is a record monthly total.
POP was launched in 2007 and is run by Community Safer Sex Project ion behalf of the Leicestershire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership.
Katie Phillips, Leicestershire Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator, said: "We recognise that it can sometimes be difficult for young people to get answers to questions or concerns at the time that they need them.
"POP allows young people to make anonymous enquiries which they may be too embarrassed to ask about in person, or may not know where or who to go to."
Alison Reeve, who runs the service, said: “This service does not replace the many young people friendly services across the county but offers young people an added means for receiving information and advice.
“The increase in texts received month to month shows that for many young people this service is providing valuable support.”
Examples include:
"I want to go and see my school nurse because I think I might be pregnant. Will she tell anyone if I am?"
"My boyfriend wants to have sex but I am not sure - I'm just worried people will find out even though he says he won't tell anyone"
"I've liked this boy for two years but he doesn't like me. I think I'm in love with him but he doesn't want anything to do with me. All I can think about is him, what do I do?"
Messages are replied to within an hour and the informal text dialogue continues to ensure the teenager gets the advice and information they need.
The helpline can be contacted on 07814 877 859 to provide young-people friendly sexual health and contraceptive services.
Leicestershire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership works with young people to reduce conception rates and provide support for teenage parents.
The partnership includes Leicestershire County Council, NHS Leicestershire County and Rutland and Connexions Leicestershire.
Over the past year, it has:
- Reduced teenage pregnancy rates even further – rates are now down by 30 per cent when compared to 1998.
- Developed an online campaign encouraging young people in Leicestershire to always use a condom, if sexually active. The viral video is proving a huge success, and has received over 50,000 hits - www.youtube.com/havefunstaysafe .
- Developed resources to offer advice to parents to help make it less daunting to start conversations on relationships and sex. Leaflets on how to initiate the conversations have been distributed to schools, GP practices and libraries.
For more information on the Leicestershire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership, visit: www.letstalktp.org .
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