Young People Services

There are many sexual health services available to support young people throughout Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Some of our clinics offer a walk-in service specifically for young people. It doesn’t matter which clinic you attend, we offer priority to those aged 18 and under.

The C-Card is a card that gives people quick and easy access to free condoms. This service is available to anyone aged 13 or over in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Stoke-on-Trent, and Telford and Wrekin.

It is a confidential service which also offers information and advice about sexual health and relationships. If you are thinking of having sex or are having a sexual relationship, registering for a card will mean you always have access to free condoms.

How does it work?

Once you sign up for the C-Card, it allows you to get free condoms from a range of places (see below).  The card will not have any personal details on it like your name, and it will only have a unique number on it. You can take your C-Card to any place listed on our website and get your condoms without any questions asked. Some places will even display the C-Card logo to help you identify the service.

How do you sign up?

Signing up for a C-Card is easy and takes about 10 minutes. You only need to provide a few simple details like your name, postcode and date of birth. You can register for a C-Card:

• At any of our sexual health clinics. You can book an appointment or attend a walk-in clinic.
• At other places, such as school and college drop-in sessions (see below), shops, clinics and pharmacies.
• If you are 16 or over, you can sign up online.

Click here for more information on the C-Card and to sign up online.

Drop-In Sessions

Our Sexual Health team are often at schools and colleges running drop-in sessions. If you see the team during one of these sessions, this is the best time to sign up for a C-Card. Your school should have information on when the team will be there. We also hold special drop-ins for welcome events and holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Halloween and Christmas. We post the dates of these on social media, so keep an eye out for them!

Your school or college may have staff members who are trained to register you for a C-Card. To find out if your school or college offers sign-ups, speak to member of staff. You can also contact our Sexual Health team by emailing SexualHealthComms@mpft.nhs.uk.

Your school nursing team may be able to provide support with sexual health at drop-in sessions at your school or college.  This is a confidential, friendly and non-judgemental service which can offer advice, information and signposting on topics like:

• Where to get free condoms
• How to get an STI test
• Access to emergency contraception
• Pregnancy testing

Services provided by the school nursing team are different depending on which area you live in, or by which school you attend. The easiest way to contact your school nurse is by text. You don’t have to give your name, and all conversations are confidential.

You can use the number below to see what services are available in your area, book an appointment or ask for some advice around lots of different health topics like:

• Healthy diet and lifestyle
• Relationships
• Mental and emotional health
• Self-harm
• Bullying
• Smoking, vaping or other substance use
• Anything else about your health, development or wellbeing

School Nurse Contacts

• Stoke-on-Trent: Text 07520 615723
• Staffordshire: Text 07520 615721
• Shropshire: Text 07507 330346
• Telford and Wrekin: Text 07520 619051

There is more information available on the Health for Teens website.

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are infections like chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis that are spread through sex (anal, oral and vaginal), and in some cases, by non-penetrative sexual contact such as sharing sex toys, sexual touching and close skin-to-skin contact.

Some STIs are easy to get rid of and some you can’t get rid of, but you can get treatment for them. Using condoms and dental dams can help to protect you against STIs.

Click here for more information on all types of STIs and how to protect yourself against them.

What happens when you visit a clinic for an STI test?

On your first visit to a clinic, you will be asked by the receptionist to fill in a registration form giving your name, date of birth, address, and contact details. All the details you give us are completely confidential. We will ask for your GP details for our records, but we won’t write to your GP without your permission.

Click here for more information on your clinic visit and STI testing.

When we talk about consent for sex, this means someone agreeing to take part in sex or sexual activity. Consent needs to be given for each sexual act. You should never be pressured to consent to sex if you don’t feel comfortable.

It’s important to pay attention to body language, as well as words, when it comes to consent to sex. There are also times when consent cannot be given. Below are some helpful tips to think about.

Consent might look/feel like:

• Being relaxed and happy
• If they are enthusiastic and responsive

Signs someone may not be consenting:

• If their body is freezing up
• If they are silent
• If they seem upset

Someone cannot give consent for sex if:

• They are under 16*
• They are too drunk or high (from alcohol or drugs) to understand what is happening
• They feel pressured or threatened into saying yes
• They don’t understand what they’re agreeing to

It is important to remember:

• Consent needs to be sought every time you have sex and throughout every encounter (including when you want to try a new activity). Even if you had consensual sex with someone before, consent needs to be given again the next time.
• Consent can be taken away at any time. This means you can change your mind. It also means when someone says ‘no’, that means ‘stop’.

Brook has lots of information and advice on sexual health and wellbeing topics on their website. They cover lots of topics, and can help you learn about consent, having sex for the first time, what to do if a condom broke and you are worried or which contraception option is best for you.

You can read more about consent, including the laws around consent and how to give and get consent, on their website.

We’ve created a handy guide to help young people navigate sex and relationships. It covers many topics including:

• What makes a healthy relationship
• Consent and the law
• Contraception
• STIs
• Sexual health services
• Other useful services

Click here to download the guide.