Teenage Pregnancy

Reducing levels of Teenage Conceptions is a priority for London.  GOL and Young London Matters, in partnership with London boroughs, DCSF, DH and VCS agencies such as Brook, are working to tackle this important issue. 

This regional work builds on the government's strategy ‘Teenage Pregnancy: Accelerating the Strategy to 2010’ and is moving forward on a number of different fronts. 

Young London Matters and Teenage Pregnancy

YLM's contribution to this issue supports the work of London Challenge and other relevant departments and organisations, exploring the links between attainment and early parenthood.

In addition, the project works specifically with the four boroughs identified in the strategy as ‘hotspot areas’ (based on the 2006 data) as well as rolling out learning to all other boroughs. Boroughs that are rated as red and amber red will also be prioritised for support. See the map from the London report.  

YLM will highlight the wide range of emerging good practice, building on the work of the regional Teenage Pregnancy Unit (TPU) and focusing on some of the key issues impacting teenage pregnancies including child sex trafficking, early fatherhood and reducing teen pregnancies within some minority communities. Contact the Regional Co-ordinator for more information:

Adrian Kelly and Nora O'Brien
Regional Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinators
020 7217 3725           

• Background
• Key factors for reducing teenage pregnancy
• Current outcomes for teenage parents and their children

The most recent Teenage Pregnancy Briefings can be found in the Teenage Pregnancy area of the Resource Centre.  

Sex and Relationships Education (SRE). A resource to enable schools, teachers and governors across London to be prepared in advance of PSHE and SRE becoming statutory is availabale HERE

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About the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy
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.

Teenage Parents Next Steps, published in July 2007, sets out what action local areas need to take to drive improvements in outcomes for teenage parents and their children. 

You can download both reports from this page(on the right).

Key Factors for Reducing Teenage Pregnancy
Evidence from areas with the largest reductions has identified a range of factors that need to be in place to successfully reduce teenage pregnancy rates. All areas are now being asked to implement these factors, which are:

• 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.       See the SRE section on this site.
• 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. See the SRE section on this site
• 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.

Improving Outcomes
The range of poorer outcomes young mothers and their children experience in comparison to older mothers includes:

• Poor child health outcomes: Children born to teenage mothers have 60% higher rates of infant mortality and are at increased risk of low birth-weight which impacts on the child's long-term health. 
• Poor emotional health and well-being experienced by teenage mothers: Teenage mothers are 3 times more likely to suffer from post-natal depression and experience poor mental health for up to 3 years after the birth.
• Teenage parents' poor economic well-being: Teenage parents and their children are at increased risk of living in poverty.

 

Further Information