RESOURCES: Quick guide to ... sexual health

Then there are the emotional problems arising from early sexual activity that many young people later regret. Just in time for a quick guide.

1. If young people are confused about sex, it is not hard to see why. They are bombarded by contradictory messages. Mass media, from soaps to advertising, promote sex explicitly and constantly. Casual sex seems an adult standard - so long as you don't expect adults to talk to young people about it. Liberal educators seem to say do what you want provided you use a condom. Meanwhile, the Government draws up plans to make kissing illegal. More than ever, young people need to be able to explore what they think about their own bodies, without pressure and with good information. That means creating safe spaces where they can say what they think, hear others and be listened to: good youth work in fact.