Young people’s lives today are very variable. Young people play a variety of roles at a very young age. For instance, some are young parents or young carers, others face additional health issues such as physical or mental health difficulties. Many go on to further education and it's estimated that over 50% of young people aged between 16 and 21 go on to higher education. However, many young people face much more difficult and challenging circumstances with one in thirty young people in Scotland being homeless.

Due to this, communicating effectively with young people and understanding their health needs means health professionals must ensure they take a tailored approached to every young person.

This section provides useful tips on communicating with young people which can often be an area that many health professionals say they find difficult. You’ll also find a range of resources and additional information on young people who are more vulnerable.

The Health issues section provides a full range of information and resources about young people’s health issues including mental and sexual health.