Events > Accelerating the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy

Event Details

Title:

Accelerating the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy:
Reaching Out to Young People Through Education, Communication and Support

Date:

Thursday 2nd October 2008

Time:

10:15am – 3:40pm

Venue:

One Whitehall Place, Westminster, London

“Many areas have made extraordinary progress since the start of the strategy but we need to see all local authorities scaling up their work to achieve consistently good results across the country.”
— Gill Frances, Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group Fifth Annual Report, July 2008

“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.”
— Rt Hon Beverly Hughes MP, Minister for Children, Families & Young People, February 2008

Overview

Although recent figures indicate that teenage pregnancy rates are the lowest they have been in over two decades, there still remain many areas which demonstrate little or no progress. The Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is having a positive effect in many communities, but how can we reach out to young people in those areas where progress is not being made?

The Teenage Pregnancy Independent Advisory Group has recently published its fifth annual report and, whilst acknowledging the significant reduction in teenage pregnancy rates nationally, it warns against complacency and outlines a series of new and restated recommendations which it urges the Government and its partners to take forward:

Renew the Strategic Direction and Leadership from both Central and Local Government

Improve statistical data collection, data sharing and usage

Improve communication strategies at the local level

Maximise usage of extra £26m funding for ‘young people friendly’ local contraceptive services

Make PSHE, including SRE, a statutory part of the National Curriculum

Accelerate workforce development, especially multi-agency training schemes and qualifications

Roll out a new national scheme to provide support and guidance for parents and carers

Improve support for teenage parents, including housing, financial advice, parenting skills and pathways to return to education, work and training

This special one-day session, hosted by the Centre for Parliamentary Studies, will offer a timely opportunity for local practitioners and stakeholders to examine the TPIAG’s recommendations and consider how the progress made to date can act as a springboard to accelerate the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in all areas as we approach the end of the Government’s ten-year timeline.

Programme