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%. Tameside has a target to reduce teenage conceptions by 50% by 2010.

Factors for Reducing Teenage Pregnancy

We know from evidence and research that a range of factors need to be in place to successfully reduce teenage pregnancy rates. All areas are expected to implement these factors, which are:

Engagement of Delivery Partners 

The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in Tameside is driven by the Teenage Pregnancy Executive board, which in turn reports to the Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership Board. Both boards ensure the engagement of all of the key mainstream delivery partners who have a role in reducing teenage pregnancies, which include, health, education, social services, youth support services, and the voluntary sector.

A Senior Champion

The Executive Director for Services for Children and Young People has been identified as the boroughs Teenage Pregnancy Champion. A key role of the champion is to ensure teenage pregnancy remains high on the Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnership agenda.

Effective Sexual Health Advice Service

The sexual health of young people matters. In order to address this we have a number of young people’s clinics in the borough, where young people can access free, confidential advice, information and contraceptive services in places that are accessible to young people and where young people feel most comfortable e.g. youth centres, on site health provision in schools etc.

Along side of the clinics we have a Condom Distribution scheme in place, commonly known as C-Card scheme. There are a number of schemes across the borough where young people can have access to advice, information and free condoms.

Prioritisation of Sex and Relationships Education

 Strong delivery of Sex and Relationship Education is a key priority in the borough. We have a specialist advisory teacher in post who supports all schools in delivering effective SRE. We also ensure schools make the most of other agencies skills and expertise, when planning programmes around SRE e.g. Youth Services, Peer Mentoring Projects.

We have recently implemented a programme of work around SRE in our primary schools called the Spiral Curriculum. This programme encourages greater self confidence and the ability to make positive friendships, for primary age children. If we equip small children with these skills it will help them develop better, positive relationships as they get older. Research strongly suggests that there more confident and self assured a young person feels, greatly reduces the chances of them engaging in early sexual activity.

Focus on Targeted Interventions

We know that some groups of young people can be more at risk of teenage pregnancy than others. They include young people who are involved in youth offending, young people involved in ‘risk taking’ behaviour e.g. abuse of drugs and/or alcohol, young people who are in care or have been Looked After in the past. In order to address this we are delivering SRE to those young people in addition to what they may receive in school.

Training on SRE for Partner Organisations

 We are developing a training strategy that will ensure that all staff in contact with young people, either through basic contact e.g. reception at Connexions through to staff who work with young people all the time, have a good sound knowledge of services to young people and are able to signpost young people to appropriate services. We will also ensure all staff are confidant and competent to talk to young people about Sex and Relationships

Local delivery is supported by two national media campaigns: 'RU Thinking' and 'Want Respect? Use a Condom'. RU Thinking is aimed at younger teenagers, promoting messages on delaying first sex and avoiding peer pressure. Want Respect? Use a Condom is aimed at sexually active young people. It promotes condom use by associating the use of condoms with behaviour that will earn young people respect from their peers.

We also provide support for parents to talk to their children about sex and relationship issues, through our Speakeasy programme. This programme equips parents with the skills, knowledge and information to talk to their children about sex and relationships.

Teenage Parents

The strategy also includes actions to improve outcomes for teenage parents and their children. We work closely with the Connexions Service, F.E colleges, training providers, schools and Children’s Centres to ensure all teenage parents have access to support services which include family support, parenting skills and access to education, training and employment. Research tells us that teenage parents are much more likely to be living in poverty by the time they are 30 if they are not supported to return to work or learning. Therefore we place a high priority in ensuring all teenage parents are supported to return to work, education or training. The government childcare scheme Care To Learn supports teenage parents back to work by providing funds to pay childcare costs at a registered childcare provider of the teenage parent’s choice.

If you would like further information on the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy please contact:

Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Manager
 0161 342 7619