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• Teenagers can text to stay healthy over Christmas

A new campaign will ensure young people in Knowsley can access health clinics over Xmas by texting an information line.

Young people will be able to find out what teenage health clinics are open and when by texting the name of their town to 077 66 36 33 90.

They will then receive information on clinic opening times, contact telephone numbers for emergency contraception, information and places to visit for support.

This is the first time Knowsley’s Youth Service and partner agencies have used phone texts to communicate this important information to young people.

The Government’s Every Child Matters agenda stresses the importance of young people having easy access to information and services and research shows almost half of 15 to 24 year olds favour communication via text.

The text service will be available 24 hours a day for young people to text and receive a reply over the Christmas and New Year period between Monday December 17 and Friday January 4.

The price to text is the provider’s charge to the user - there is no charge to receive a reply text message.

Cllr Graham Wright, Knowsley’s Cabinet member for Children’s Services, said: “We are extremely keen that our young people know what services are available to them over the holiday period.

“It is so important that they get the help they need when they need it, so that they can stay healthy.

“We are constantly looking at how we let people know what services and support are available and texting seems to be a very popular method - particularly amongst young people.”

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