Targeted youth support: young people friendly sexual health services

Rotherham PCT's Young People Friendly Accreditation Scheme was developed to identify relevant health and social support services and assess whether they meet the needs of young people.

The scheme recognises that encouraging the use of primary care will increase access to contraception and treatment for sexually transmitted infections. There are a number of youth clinics in Rotherham that are already tailoring their services to young people and others that would like support to provide a similar service in the future.

Why change was needed

The Health Promotion Team needed to find out what young people already knew about sexual health services in Rotherham and to develop a criteria based testing system which assessed their suitability for young people.

Action taken

In May 2005 QA Research was commissioned to carry out a series of consultations with young people in the Rotherham area. Researchers had two main objectives for the research: to complete 200 surveys to establish baseline data and awareness/perceptions of current sexual health services for young people and to explore potential criteria categories which services could be assessed against.

As communicating with young people who may access, or have accessed, sexual health services was not going to be easy, researchers used the Sounding Out network which specialises in research with young people on their own terms in their own environment under-18 nightclubs.

Consultation is imperative to improving access to services for people of all ages. By bringing in experienced professionals to work with our young people, we were able to receive unbiased results and conduct the consultation in a much more innovative and interactive way than we could have done ourselves. It has been invaluable

Keri Kilcullen, public health specialist sexual health/teenage pregnancy, Rotherham PCT

 A fieldwork research team experienced in completing face-to-face interviews completed over 200 surveys with young people queuing to enter the club. Discussion groups were also held in the club prior to the event. These groups used interactive techniques that engaged the young people and ensured that all members could have an equal say. The groups were split by gender and were action focused, resulting in a set of criteria categories ranked by importance.    

The agenda and tools were designed in collaboration with Rotherham PCT and were informed by the Teenage Pregnancy Units' guidance.

Results

The researchers successfully met their objectives and presented their findings to stakeholders in July 2005. As a result, the need for the continued development of the Young People Friendly Accreditation Scheme has been identified and mainstream funding is presently being sought to take the project forward.

Click to read more good practice case studies related to the targeted youth support change process.