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The sexual health needs of looked The sexual health needs of looked after young peopleafter young people

Lorna Watson, Consultant in Public Health MedicineLorna Watson, Consultant in Public Health MedicineHannah Dale, Health Psychologist in Training Hannah Dale, Health Psychologist in Training

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BackgroundBackground

Evidence suggests that a strong focus on LAYP is a Evidence suggests that a strong focus on LAYP is a key factor for success in reducing teenage key factor for success in reducing teenage pregnancypregnancy

In Fife teenage pregnancy rates are consistently In Fife teenage pregnancy rates are consistently above the Scottish average above the Scottish average

Looked After Young People (LAYP) are reported to Looked After Young People (LAYP) are reported to have higher pregnancy rates and less knowledge have higher pregnancy rates and less knowledge around sexual health servicesaround sexual health services

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A new approachA new approach……

Application of health psychology principles to public health Application of health psychology principles to public health issuesissues

4 posts initially created in Scotland by NES4 posts initially created in Scotland by NES Posts support the final two years of health psychology Posts support the final two years of health psychology

training/chartershiptraining/chartership

Successful collaboration: NES, Clinical Psychology, Public Successful collaboration: NES, Clinical Psychology, Public health, Social work, University of St Andrewshealth, Social work, University of St Andrews

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Project developmentProject development

Needs assessmentNeeds assessment::– Interviews with those aged 12-19Interviews with those aged 12-19– Young people from all settings: residential schools, Young people from all settings: residential schools,

residential homes, foster care, kinship care, and those residential homes, foster care, kinship care, and those living with their own parents living with their own parents

– Recruitment through social work and private/voluntary Recruitment through social work and private/voluntary agenciesagencies

– Aimed to examine their current knowledge levels; where Aimed to examine their current knowledge levels; where they find out about sex and relationships from; their they find out about sex and relationships from; their preferences on learning about sex and relationshipspreferences on learning about sex and relationships

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FindingsFindings

10 looked after young people (LAYP) interviewed10 looked after young people (LAYP) interviewed

LAYP learned about sexual health primarily from school, LAYP learned about sexual health primarily from school, but some did from other sources. but some did from other sources.

Knowledge gaps around wider sex and relationship Knowledge gaps around wider sex and relationship issuesissues

Many were not aware of sexual health servicesMany were not aware of sexual health services Flexible one-to-one approach, Flexible one-to-one approach, not solely aimed at sexual not solely aimed at sexual

healthhealth Gap between knowledge and behaviourGap between knowledge and behaviour

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Implications & developmentsImplications & developments

LAYP require and desire more input around sexual LAYP require and desire more input around sexual health and other lifestyle issueshealth and other lifestyle issues

Supports the training and support of workers and Supports the training and support of workers and carers in sexual health, and wider health issuescarers in sexual health, and wider health issues

Development of a Health Consultancy Project Development of a Health Consultancy Project offering support to workers/carers around working offering support to workers/carers around working with LAYP around lifestyle issues- with LAYP around lifestyle issues- Fairer Fife Fairer Fife funding funding

1-to-1 support offered to LAYP in Fife1-to-1 support offered to LAYP in Fife Health improvement plan for LAC- Health improvement plan for LAC- Fairer Fife Fairer Fife

fundingfunding