Last updated at 15:04, Saturday, 16 May 2009

A HEALTH worker is encouraging young people to attend an after-school clinic to deliver a safe sex message in one of Barrow’s deprived wards.

RAISING AWARENESS: Young people’s sexual health nurse Clare Stebbens, right, is running a sexual health clinic for under-25s at Ormsgill Children’s Centre

Clare Stebbens, a contraception and sexual health nurse, wants more people to attend the drop-in session for under-25s in Ormsgill, Barrow.

Mrs Stebbens is keen to encourage more teenagers to attend, to combat the area’s high rate of teen pregnancy.

The aim of the sessions is to educate young people on how to practice safe sex and get tested for sexually transmitted infections.

She said: “Ormsgill is not a particular problem area for sexually transmitted infections, but there are many young mothers and teenage pregnancy.”

Contraception, testing and emergency contraception is available from the clinic.

One problem which has occurred as a result of this is that young people have been found blowing up condoms and littering the streets with them.

But Mrs Stebbens wants to assure residents that those who attend the clinic are given proper advice on contraception before it is given to them.

She said: “They are not just handed condoms, they are registered into the contraception service.

“We talk about safe sex, peer pressure, legal age of consent, where to access sexual health services, and they get taught how to use condoms safely and effectively.”

The clinics run every Monday at Ormsgill Children’s Centre, Millstone Avenue, Barrow, from 3.30pm to 4.30pm.

First published at 11:38, Saturday, 16 May 2009
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk