The Check it Out Outreach Service

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The Check it Out Outreach Service is commissioned to provide mainstream and targeted sexual health services for young people aged 13 to 19 years old or up to 25 years if they have a special educational need or disability (SEND). This Service is offered across the London Borough of Sutton.

All Outreach events are coordinated through the team. They provide health promotion, contraception services and STI screening for those identified as potentially at risk. This includes promotion of all sexual health services and opportunistic screening for Chlamydia as part of the National Chlamydia Screening Programme for 15-24 year olds.

Targeted Outreach Services

The CIO Outreach Team provides targeted portable clinics (Clinic in a Box - CIB) and group support services for vulnerable young people. Young people identified as needing multiple clinical appointments, will also be offered in conjunction, relationship and sex education support.

Any young person who either lives or studies in LBS can access this support. The aim of the service is to enable vulnerable young people to access targeted relationship and sexual health education and clinical services in the event that the universal RSHE curriculum offered by school or other organisations has been unable to meet their sexual health needs.

Following acceptance of a referral a young person will be allocated a CIO practitioner who will contact the referrer and then the young person, usually within two weeks.  The young person’s needs will be assessed and goals will be agreed; clinical needs will be addresses by the CIO practitioners’ mobile clinic (CIB) where possible. Appointments will be made by the CIO team, at the most suitable clinic venue for any clinical services unsuitable for mobile delivery.

The ultimate aim of the support is to ensure the young person has access to clinical sexual health services, is aware of the facts and health advice enabling them to make informed decisions about their sexual health even if this is a decision that professionals do not agree with.

The targeted outreach support aims to encourage, educate and empower young people to:

  • Access contraception and STI clinical services which they would be unable to access alone or with support from parents/carers or other professionals
  • Develop, maintain and take ownership of positive sexual health routines e.g. regular STI screening, correct and regular use of contraception.
  • Increase understanding and knowledge of sexual consent and healthy relationships.
  • Explore rights and responsibilities, wishes and expectations within a relationship.
  • Empower young people to recognise and understand how to minimise risk associated with sexual relationships including contraception, STIs, coercion and control.

We aim to work collaboratively with other professionals or individually. Please note, due to the short duration of the Targeted Outreach Support, young people assessed as high risk of exploitation can only be supported by the outreach team to access contraception and STI services. In addition, we are unable to offer counselling or therapy for young people with mental health issues or who have been subjected to sexual violence; we can facilitate access to our specialist Health Advisers at the Rosehill Clinic for sexual assault cases.

Priority is given to young people with the following vulnerabilities:

  • Subject to a Child Protection Plan
  • Child in Need status
  • Child Looked After / Leaving Care
  • Child Exploitation / Missing  
  • Young Carers
  • Young Offenders
  • Problematic drug / alcohol users
  • Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers
  • Not in Education Employment or Training

If you are a professional and want to make a referral, click here