Teenage Pregnancy
News
- New resources on teenage pregnancy
Mon 8th March 2010
- NICE consultation for pregnant women with complex social factors
Fri 26th February 2010
Events
- No events for this topic.
Groups
Barbara Coyle
Introduction
Evidence shows that having children at a young age can damage young women’s health and well-being and severely limit their education and career prospects. Children born to teenagers are more likely to experience a range of negative outcomes in later life, and are more likely to become a teenage parent themselves.
The Government's Teenage Pregnancy Strategy represents the first coordinated attempt to tackle both the causes and the consequences of teenage pregnancy. The strategy's targets are:
Halve the under-18 conception rate by 2010, and establish a firm downward trend in the under-16 rate
Increase the proportion of teenage parents in education, training or employment to 60% by 2010, to reduce their risk of long-term social exclusion
All local areas have a 10-year strategy in place, with local under-18 conception rate reduction targets of between 40 and 60%. These local targets underpin the national 50% reduction target.
Key Factors for Reducing Teenage Pregnancy
Engagement of delivery partners
Active engagement of all of the key mainstream delivery partners who have a role in reducing teenage pregnancies: health, education, social services, youth support services, and the voluntary sector.
Selection of a senior champion
A strong senior champion who is responsible for the local strategy and can take the lead in implementing it.
Effective sexual health advice service
The availability of a well-publicised contraceptive and sexual health advice service which is centred on young people. The service needs to have a strong remit to undertake health promotion work, as well as delivering reactive services.
Prioritisation of sex and relationships education
High priority given to PSHE in schools, with support from the local authority to develop comprehensive programmes of sex and relationships education (SRE) in all schools.
Focus on targeted interventions
A strong focus on targeted interventions with young people at greatest risk of teenage pregnancy, in particular with looked-after children.
Training on SRE for partner organisations
The availability and consistent take-up of SRE training for professionals in partner organisations who work with the most vulnerable young people, such as Connexions personal advisers, youth workers and social workers.
Well-resourced youth service Providing things to do and places to go for young people, with a clear focus on addressing key social issues affecting young people, such as sexual health and substance misuse.
Highlight figures
The UK still has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancy in Western Europe, in England in 2006 almost 40,000 women under the age of 18 became pregnant.
There are around 2500 conceptions to women between the ages of 15 to 17 in the North East every year. The rate of teenage conceptions in the North East in 2006 was 48.8 per 1000 female population (aged 15-17). The rate for England was 40.6.
