Call for pupils to get more condoms

chilDRen should be given ‘easier’ access to condoms to tackle rising rates of unprotected sex, experts say.

More schools should hand them out to pupils, and checks for under-16s should be lifted.

A report has called for better free provision of the contraceptives to scots teenagers because many are buying them from shops or public toilet vending machines.

critics said the findings ‘fail to respect the law on the age of consent’. But health experts leading the move say they want to ‘respond to what young people want’.

The findings have come in a review of the healthy Respect scheme run by nhs lothian which provides ‘drop-in’ sexual health advice in schools, youth groups and clinics for 13-18 year-olds.

The review was carried out amid concerns about rising rates of sexually transmitted infections. At

‘Fails to respect the law on age of consent’

present condoms are available in some schools for children as young as 13.

Dr Duncan Mccormick, consultant in public health medicine for nhs lothian, said: ‘We wanted to find out what we could do to encourage and enable more young people to use these services when they need to. young people say school is the best place for them to learn about condoms.’

But norman Wells of the Family education Trust said: ‘The provision of contraception to children under the age of 16 fails to respect the law on the age of consent. Parents send their children to school to receive a good education, not to be undermined by health workers who give their children contraceptives.’

A scottish Government spokesman said: ‘it is essential that young people have access to services and information. nhs boards and local authorities should ensure young people’s sexual health dropin services are available in or near every school.’