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1. A Thomas1,
2. G Forster2,
3. A Robinson3,
4. K Rogstad4,
5. For The Clinical Effectiveness group (Association of Genitourinary Medicine and the Medical Society for the Study of Venereal Diseases)

1. ¹Department of Community Paediatrics, St James’s University Hospital, Leeds LS9 7TF, UK
2. ²Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Ambrose King Centre, Royal London Hospital, Turner Street, London E1 1BB, UK
3. ³The Mortimer Market Centre, Off Capper Street, London WC1E 6AU, UK
4. ⁴Department of Genitourinary Medicine, Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Glossop Road, Sheffield S10 2JF, UK

1. Correspondence to:
 Amanda Thomas;
amanda.thomas{at}leedsth.nhs.uk

• guidelines
• STIs
• children
• adolescents

The Children Act 1989¹ defines a child as “a person who has not yet reached 18 years of age.” In England, Wales, and Scotland the present age of consent for heterosexual and homosexual sex is 16 years and in Northern Ireland it is 17 years. The proportion of young people who report heterosexual intercourse before the age of 16 years increased in the 1990s compared with the previous decade.²

Although children under 16 years may be involved in consensual sexual activity other issues need to be considered including:

• Risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI)

• Past and continuing sexual abuse/assault

• Undiagnosed mental health problems including self harm, eating disorders, alcohol and substance misuse

• Risk of or involvement in prostitution/commercial sex work

• Vulnerability of those living away from home/accommodated by the local authority

• Vulnerability of those with physical and/or learning disabilities irrespective of age.

In these guidelines, children under the age of 18 years will be referred to as “young people.” The guidelines are primarily directed at the management and care of young people under the age of 16 years but those aged over 16 years may require the same consideration of the factors listed above.

• Adolescent sexual health
  Adolescence: a time of risk taking

  A J RobinsonK Rogstad

  Sexually Transmitted Infections2002;78314-315 Published Online First: 01 Oct 2002.doi: 10.1136/sti.78.5.314
• Brief Encounters
  Brief encounters

  Mohsen Shahmanesh

  Sexually Transmitted Infections2002;78314-314 Published Online First: 01 Oct 2002.doi: 10.1136/sti.78.5.314-a
• Web Top 10
  Web Top 10

  BMJ Publishing Group Ltd

  Sexually Transmitted Infections2003;7997-97 Published Online First: 01 Apr 2003.doi: 10.1136/sti.79.2.97