Teenage pregnancy rates lowest for over 20 years » Communities » 24dash.com

Figures published today show the biggest drop for five years in teenage conception rates, confirmation that the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is working.

The Office of National Statistics figures show teenage pregnancy rates continuing to fall with a reduction in both the under 18 and the under 16 rates during 2006:

•          A 13.3 per cent overall reduction in the under 18 conception rate in England since the 1998 baseline and a two per cent reduction from the 2005 rate;

•         A 13.0 per cent overall reduction in the under 16 conception rate in England since 1998 and a one per cent reduction from the 2005 rate;

•    Between 1998 and 2006, 89 per cent of local authorities have seen an overall reduction in their under 18 conception rate (compared with 83% in 2005);

•    The decline in the under 18 conception rate in England contrasts sharply with increases in the conception rate for all other age groups, highlighting the impact of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.

Welcoming today’s figures Minister for Children, Young People and Families Beverley Hughes said: “I am delighted to see that teenage pregnancy rates are continuing their downward trend.

“The significant drop repeated today means that rates are at the lowest level for over 20 years.

“I would like to congratulate the 89 per cent of local authorities where rates are continuing to fall - further evidence that where areas apply our Teenage Pregnancy Strategy effectively, we are getting results. 

“However there is still work to do and there are still some areas where the level of teenage pregnancy is unacceptably high.

“That is why today I am publishing a league table showing the teenage pregnancy trends for every local authority, so that everyone can see where progress has been excellent and where performance must improve.

“Supporting young people to look after their sexual health and delay parenthood until they are ready is critical to helping them make a successful transition to adulthood.

“It is time that the worst performing local authorities stop failing our young people and start applying our tried and tested methods that the strategy shows are working.”
 
In areas such as Torbay, Stockton-on-Tees, Enfield, Norfolk and Leeds teenage pregnancy rates still remain unacceptably high and Beverley Hughes, along with the Department of Health, will be looking closely at what more these and other areas need to do to get their rates down.

This will include visits from the Teenage Pregnancy National Support Team to assist them in identifying problems and help them implement our guidance as a matter of urgency.

The Minister will also call in poorly performing Local Authorities and Primary Care Trusts to explain how they intend to tackle their performance.
 
If all areas were doing as well as the top 25 per cent, our national reduction would be more than double - and on track to meet our 2010 target.

Areas such as Hackney and South Tyneside have shown that by fully implementing the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy change is possible, even in the most challenging areas.  

Alan Wood, Director of Children’s Services in the London Borough of Hackney said: "We attribute our success in driving down teenage conception rates in Hackney to good local delivery.

“Hackney’s Teenage Pregnancy Partnership engages all key partners: education, health and young people’s services and has innovative approaches to working with young people led by local voluntary and community organisations, consistent with the Government’s teenage pregnancy strategy.

“Putting an increasingly strong focus on targeted interventions for young people most at risk will help Hackney to meet the challenging target of reducing the under 18 conception rates by 60 per cent by 2010.

“Tackling teenage pregnancy is central to Hackney’s work to prevent health inequalities, child poverty and social exclusion.

“Since the start of the strategy, we have recognised that a coordinated, effective approach to preventing and addressing teenage pregnancy complements and contributes to achieving other priority outcomes for children and young people.” 
 
The focus must remain on improving local delivery through local authorities and PCTs implementing our best practice guidance.

This focus is echoed by the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group (TPIAG) in their annual report.
 
Responding to the TPIAG report Beverley Hughes said: “I would like to thank the Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group for its report which recognises the steady progress that has been made to date in tackling teenage pregnancy.
 
“I am pleased that we have made progress on the reports recommendations including more support for teenage parents, a review of the delivery of sex and relationship education in schools and a higher priority for child and adolescent health.”

The Government is committed to meeting its ambitious target to halve the under 18 conception rate by 2010 and earlier this week announced plans to review the way sex and relationship education is delivered in schools to ensure it meets all young people’s needs.

Local areas which are struggling with their teenage pregnancy rates are also set to receive a share of £26.8 million to improve young people's access to effective contraception, announced by Health Minister Dawn Primarolo earlier this year.