Relationships and Sexual Health

Free and confidential information, advice and support about Relationships and Sexual Health for young people in Ealing.

relationships and sexual health

Relationships advice:

Want to talk to someone about the relationships in your life, not sure how to handle the changes? All relationships go through changes and sometimes we need some advice. Click more to view a list of organisations that offer free advice:

Getconnected is the UK’s free, confidential helpline service for young people under 25 who need help, but don’t know where to turn.

Sex and Safer sex:

Want to know more but too embarrassed to ask? Check out health services where you could go and get free advice or information to help you make informed choices.

Contraception/Condoms:

If you are thinking about having sex and you don’t want to become pregnant then you need to use a method of contraception. Talk to your youth workers, they can help you with where to go for advice or be a listening ear while you explore your options.

Go to one of the sexual health clinics and talk about what is the best option for you.

Most methods of contraception will not protect you from sexually transmitted infections so whatever method you choose you also need to think about protection (avoid getting a sexually transmitted infection). For this you’ll need to use condoms. For men condoms are the only widely available contraception and protection. Even if you’re not planning on having sex yet, you can still find out about condoms so that when you are ready and need to use them you’ll feel comfortable with them.

With so many choices available, choosing the right method of contraception can be tricky. Some options, although effective, can have an adverse effect on menstrual cycles, which can cause physical and mental distress. 

Please read the useful resource called ‘The Complete Guide To Contraception & Your Cycle’ which aims to help women become more informed about contraceptives and how it impacts their menstrual health. It features a lot of great information, such as:

  • An in-depth look at the various types of contraceptives available – both hormonal and non-hormonal – and how women can get them for free.
  • Detailed comparison of each contraceptive’s pros and cons – how they affect intercourse and their efficacy in preventing STDs.
  • Important stats on the effectiveness of each contraceptive, possible side-effects, and how they might affect menstrual cycles.
  • Key takeaways and advice on finding a method that works for each individual and other useful external references on reproductive health.

You can check out the full guide here:

Contraception & Your Cycle
https://yoppie.com/contraception-cycles

Condoms

Sex can be fun and pleasurable, but it is important that you also think about the risks involved such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy. Condoms are the only method of contraception that protect against both STIs and unplanned pregnancy so it is important you are confident using them.

People will often make excuses about not using condoms, but it may simply be that they are afraid to use them. Perhaps they don’t know how to or are embarrassed about talking to their sexual partners. Alcohol also plays a big part in whether or not someone uses a condom as many people report forgetting or not bothering to use condoms when they are drunk.

Condoms offer protection to both partners and using condoms shows trust, respect and care for your partner. Protecting each other from STIs and unwanted pregnancy is a shared responsibility so you both need to be able to talk confidently about condoms. It is best to talk about contraception and condom use before having sex. That way you can develop an understanding of your partner’s concerns, overcome your embarrassment and learn how to use them properly before actually having sex.

Find tips to help you and your sexual partner here.

Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs)

If you have unprotected sex you are at risk of sexually transmitted infection, and should go and get yourself checked out at one of the clinics listed below.

The main resource within the borough is the GUM clinic at Ealing Hospital (GUM stands for genito-urinary medicine).  Residents of Ealing can also attend GUM services outside the borough.

If a young person wants to maintain their confidentiality, they do not have to provide their real name. They can use a fictitious name, as long as they remember to use the same one when collecting results or making a follow-up visit. Their GP will not be told of their visit to the GUM clinic.

Young parents:

We aim to equip young parents with parenting skills. This involves preparing them for the birth of their baby, helping them to form strong relationships, and improving their wellbeing and self-esteem. Our links with other agencies enable us to address the complex needs of the young parents and their children.

For help and support click on the links below to find local services in Ealing.

Young Womens Trust is the leading charity working with the most disadvantaged young women in England and Wales.

At our Youth Centres you can be offered advice, guidance, and support.

Family Nurse Partnership Programme  is a licensed preventative programme for vulnerable first time young mothers under 20 years. It offers intensive and structured home visiting delivered by specially trained nurses from early in pregnancy until a child is two. To make a referral in Ealing email kate.tuohy@nhs.net or telephone her on 020 8825 8244. The team is based at Hanwell Children’s Centre, Laurel Gardens, London W7 3JG but the service is mainly in woman’s own home. The young mother must live in Ealing at the start of the intervention or be registered with an Ealing GP.

Substance Misuse, Drugs and Alcohol

As a teenager you are legally too young to buy or drink alcohol and any illegal substance use is defined as drug abuse.

substance misuse and alcohol

The most popular drugs abused by teenagers include marijuana (weed), prescription drugs and alcohol.

No matter what the drug of choice, teenagers who fall victim to drug abuse risk everything in their lives: relationships with family members, their education,their future prospects, their social standing with peers and their self-esteem.

Drinking and doing drugs can really affect your life as a young person. Do you feel you need help or want to make changes to your life?  Click on the following links:

Know the facts

Get help for drug or alcohol addiction

CRI Easy

Telephone: 020 8810 1528 (work), 07500 667 492 (mobile), email: EASY.project@cri.org.uk

A confidential helpline for anyone in the UK concerned about drug use.

Do you want to change your drinking habits for better.

Are you  having problems with drug addiction? Find some useful tips for teens here.

Whether it is yourself or a loved one suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction, you will be able to recognise the deep pain and misery this illness causes and just how many people it affects.

There is no denying that over time and without the proper medical care, this pain deepens and can cause an extreme psychological upset.

Rehab 4 Addiction recognises that time really is of the essence when it comes to tackling the issue of drug and alcohol addiction, and offers a lifeline of professional help across all four corners of London.

Anyone and everyone who is struggling with a drug and alcohol addiction deserves to get help. There is nothing worse than being trapped in addiction with no clear way out. When you contact OK Rehab, we find a way out. Whether it’s a drug and alcohol rehab in Ealing, an outpatient clinic in Ealing, or a home detox, there is always help out there for you.

Fitness and Wellbeing

Boost your health and fitness (being physically fit and healthy) with fun and practical ideas to help you get active and improve your all-round health.

fitness and wellbeing

Visit our youth centres that are equipped with gyms and professional tutors to start you off on a personal training programme tailored to your individual needs.

Visit the following links to view other services:

Active Ealing
The Council’s Active Ealing team works with community partners to promote a wide range of sport and physical activity opportunities to local people and encourages people to live a healthy, active lifestyle

London Sport is one of the five sub-regional Sport and Physical Activity Partnerships operating across London and one of the 49 covering England. It was established in March 2006 with the aim of increasing participation in sport and physical activity in Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hillingdon and Hounslow.

Your health, your choices

Find sports facilities in the UK.

Here is a list of Sports Clubs in Ealing, which breaks down each sport in alphabetical order, details their website, and whether they cater for adult, junior, and people with disabilities.

Sports and leisure facilities in Ealing

Swimming opportunities for people with disablities

Sports activities for young people  and people with disabilities and additional needs in Ealing

Healthy Eating

Eating a balanced diet can protect you from serious illness in later life. Healthy eating isn’t complicated, and for most young people it boils down to eating less junk food and fruit, vegetables and wholegrain foods.

healthy eating

You should also drink water rather than sweetened drinks. There are many ways that we can help young people to develop healthy eating habits.

By encouraging good eating habits in young people we can help to prevent:

  • Obesity and overweight
  • Heart disease and stroke
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Certain cancers

Visit your GP’s Surgery or local youth club in Ealing for advice and support.

Useful sources of information on healthy eating:

Beat provides helplines, online support and a network of UK-wide self-help groups to help adults and young people in the UK beat their eating disorders.

Parents for Health

Health talk online  See, hear and read peoples stories and experiences…

Healthy Recipes | Change4Life (www.nhs.uk)

Healthy eating for teens – NHS (www.nhs.uk)

Emotional Health

As a young person you can experience a range of mental health problems. Childhood and teenage years are a time when you are rapidly changing and developing and often have to cope with different situations and unfamiliar challenges like examinations, relationships and other pressures of growing up.

emotional health

Sometimes you can feel like you don’t have any control over what you think or how you feel. But by making simple changes to your life, you can make a real difference to your mental health. Listed below are useful sources of information to help you improve your mental health.

The voice of young people’s mental health and wellbeing

The UK’s free and confidential helpline service for young people under 25 who need help, but don’t know where to turn

Do you need advice, support or someone to talk to?

For answers, advice and straight talk.

Refer Self, Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice (RSCPP)

We believe your psychological wellbeing is as important as your physical health. Since 2007 we have helped thousands of UK residents with face to face counselling, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis and psychology, telephone therapy and secure e-mail therapy. Every day our ‘Find a Therapist box’ helps people access therapy based on their practical, psychological, physical and financial needs, and our profiles help them make informed choices.

Supportive Action for  Families in Ealing (SAFE) Counselling Services (Formerly EALING YOUTH COUNSELLING AND INFORMATION SERVICE)
We offer a free and confidential counselling service to young people aged 11-18.All referrals need to be through Ealing Children’s Integrated Response Service (ECIRS) 020 8825 8000. You will be asked for your personal contact details as well as information about you, to ensure that we are the service you are looking for.

Telephone: 0208 825 9155

email: ealingYCIS@ealing.gov.uk

Find us at: 17 & 25 Hanbury Road, Acton, London, W3 8RF

Download SAFE  Counselling Leaflet

Smoking

Smoking is harmful to your health and the younger you start smoking the more damage your body will suffer when you get older. Tobacco users leads most commonly to diseases affecting the heart, liver and lungs.

smoking

Quit smoking and you will have a lesser risk of developing heart attacks, strokes, cancer, and hypertension. The seriousness of these effects depend on the number of years that you smoke and on how much you smoke.

Most smokers say that they would like to quit but find it hard to do so. If you want to quit we recommend that you speak to a trained counsellor. Try the helplines and links listed below. 

Smokefree Ealing 
Telephone: 0800 876 6683 or 0208 579 8622.
Email: ealingstopsmoking@nhs.net
Text ‘Info’ to 60066
Run by trained advisors who know what it’s like to quit.
Free confidential advice and support.
Stop smoking medications available on prescription (like patches, gum and inhalator).
Free carbon monoxide checks.

One-to-one clinics held all over Ealing during the day, evening and weekends

Clinic held at Westside Young Peoples Centre, Every Tuesday between 4pm – 5pm.

Smokefree Ealing offers free help and advice to become smoke free.

Quit Because is QUIT’s youth service, which helps young people make informed choices about tobacco use and provides practical, tailored support and advice to those who want to stop smoking.
Telephone: 0800 00 22 00
Monday to Friday: 9am to 8pm
Saturday and Sunday: 10am to 6pm 

Get help to stop smoking now!!