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Acute safeguarding essentials in modern-day paediatrics—sexual relationships, consent and confidentiality
  1. Helen Thomas1,
  2. Daniel Cromb2,
  3. Hannah Jacob3,
  4. Anastasia Alcock1
  1. 1 Paediatric Emergency Department, Evelina London Children's Hospital, London, UK
  2. 2 Centre for the Developing Brain, School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK
  3. 3 Department of Paediatrics, University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Helen Thomas; helen.thomas1{at}nhs.net

Abstract

As the third case in the acute safeguarding essentials in modern-day paediatrics series, this article focuses on sexual relationships, consent and confidentiality. Using the scenario of a 15-year-old girl presenting to the emergency department with a positive pregnancy test, it begins with a guide to taking a psychosocial history in young people followed by discussion about some of the legality surrounding sexual relationships in adolescents, issues around consent and considerations for confidentiality in this age group.

  • Adolescent Health
  • Child Protective Services
  • Child Welfare
  • Ethics
  • Child Health Services

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Footnotes

  • X @dancromb, @HannahCJacob

  • Contributors DC and HT conceived of the article. HT wrote the first draft. All authors reviewed and edited the manuscript, and all have seen and agree with the final version.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Provenance and peer review Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.