Latest news
Easy to Understand (ETU) is live!
The ETU part of the Healthy Respect website provides information on sexual health and relationships for young people with learning disabilities. It offers inclusive information in an Easy Read format (images and simple text), covering a wide range of topics such as consent, sexuality, contraception, and access to services.
What is going on for young people and their sexual health?
Current picture of young people’s sexual health in Scotland, and local information within the NHS Lothian areas as of January 2024.
Please get in touch if you have any questions about young people’s sexual health or want to work in partnership with us to improve sexual health and wellbeing outcomes for young people in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Increase in Sextortion
Globally, there has been a large increase in reports of children and young people being forced into paying money or meeting another financial demand after an offender has threatened to release nudes or semi-nudes of them. This is financially motivated sexual extortion, a type of online blackmail often referred to in the media as ‘sextortion’. It is a form of child sexual abuse.
Working with children and young people who have displayed harmful sexual behaviour
This guidance is intended for practitioners and service leads who work with children, young people and their families and aims to provide a deeper understanding of how to respond to all forms of harmful sexual behaviour displayed by those under the age of 18.
New sexual health drop-in for young people at Livingston
A former retail unit at The Centre in Livingston has been repurposed into a vibrant hub for youth activities and services, called 101 Youth Project.
Young people aged 13+ can access the new Healthy Respect sexual health and wellbeing drop-in at 101 Youth Project, running every Friday afternoon (1:30 – 3:30 pm).
See the poster for more details.
Trans Report 2024
YGBT Youth Scotland launched their Trans Report – the final ‘deep dive’ from Life in Scotland for LGBT Young People research.
Read the full report for invaluable insights from direct responses of trans young people.
Majority of Scottish parents support teaching of LGBT topics in schools
Research conducted by Survation, on behalf of Time for Inclusive Education (TIE), with 1,035 parents and carers of school aged children in Scotland has found that 70% support the national LGBT Inclusive Education programme.
Stigma is more harmful than HIV
Common misconceptions about HIV have a devastating impact on people living with the virus. But HIV is now treatable, and just one pill a day means it can’t be passed on. And if HIV can’t be passed on, we can end new cases in Scotland.
Learn the facts: HIVstigma.scot
Partners and stakeholders can find assets here for social media, websites (banners) and print (posters).
Credit: HIVstigma.scot
STI Safer Sex Campaign
In Scotland, cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including gonorrhoea and chlamydia, are increasing among people under the age of 25. The best protection from STIs is the correct and consistent use of a condom for vaginal, anal and oral sex.
Public Health Scotland, in collaboration with NHS Health Boards, NHS24 and third sector partners, has developed a prevention campaign including a social media toolkit with assets and suggested captions aimed at people under the age of 25. All the resources are available to download here.
A lot of it is actually just abuse’ Young people and pornography
The Children’s Comissioner has published new findings from a nationally representative survey for young people aged 16-21, exploring their exposure to pornography online.
Download the report here.
Top tips for trans inclusion in youth work spaces
A resource that offers practical advice to help make your setting inclusive for trans and non-binary young people
Developed in partnership with Healthy Respect, LGBT Youth Scotland, LAYC (Lothian Association of Youth Clubs) and the Wester Hailes Youth Agency.
Click on the image to view the resource.
The trans, non-binary and questioning coming out guide
A great new coming out guide from LGBT+ Youth Scotland for supporting young people on their journey with gender identity.
Click on the image to view the guide.
Awkward moments
Check yourself and the person you are with!
A sexual health campaign, Awkward Moments aimed at 16-19 year olds has been launched to help improve conversations around consent. It has montages and scenarios, group chat clips, social media posts as well as a workshop plan, should you want to run a session with young people to discuss consent.
A collaboration with young people, NHS sexual health teams and organisations in Scotland.
