Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

The decision to have sex is a big one. It means thinking carefully about how it’s going to affect you physically and emotionally and also about what the law says. If you do decide you’re ready then being prepared with contraception is really important. Luckily it’s very easy to get hold of contraception for free.

Deciding on the best contraception for you can be confusing as there are so many types. Whichever you choose, it’s your decision as it affects you and your body. You can visit your doctor, a sexual health clinic or nearest Brook centre to get contraceptive advice or treatment. You don’t need your parents to approve this.

Your GP or local sexual health clinic will have free contraception available for you. There are often local schemes where young people are given cards which they can use in high street chemists and supermarkets to get contraception for free. Again, you don’t need to get your parents' permission for this but you can find out what’s in your area by using the Brook website.

Before making any decisions, you may want to find out more information about sex and relationships by checking out our pages or exploring the Brook website. You can speak in confidence to one of our counsellors at ChildLine or to another trusted adult. You might also want to have a look at our message boards to see what other young people have to say.

Take care,
Sam