Contact: Ray Barnard, Youth Service Manager, Tel: 01962 846424,

email: [email protected]

1 Summary

1.1 This report introduces the proposed sex and relationships education (SRE) policy for the county youth service and recommends its adoption. It places the report in the context of the 2004-06 action plan of the Hampshire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership (HTPP) and guidance from the Department for Education and Skills (DFES).

1.2 The draft policy supports: aim 1 of the Corporate Strategy - Maximising Life Opportunities, by ensuring the services referred to are of high quality, accessible and caring; aim 2 - Building Stronger and Safer Communities, by promoting health and well being of young people; aim 5 - Improving Services, by ensuring the service meets changing needs; and aim 6 - Developing Staff and Councillors, by ensuring staff are equipped with appropriate skills and knowledge to respond effectively to the changing needs of young people.

2 Context and purpose

2.1 In 1999, the Government launched a report on teenage pregnancy that set two goals:

· To halve the rate of conceptions among under 18s in England by 2010 and to set a firmly established downward trend in conceptions among under 16s;

· To reduce the risk of long term social exclusion for teenage parents and their children by supporting teenage parents in education, training and employment.

2.2 To achieve the goals a comprehensive, cross-Government teenage pregnancy strategy was launched. Each top tier local authority is required to have a multi-agency Teenage Pregnancy Partnership (TPP) responsible for developing a local strategy and action plan fitting under the national strategy.

2.3 The strategy was considered to be necessary, partly because of the health risks, high abortion rates and relative poverty that can be associated with teenage pregnancy, and also because the UK has the highest teenage birth rate in Western Europe (three times as high as France and six times the rate in the Netherlands). While other countries achieved dramatic reductions in teenage pregnancy rates during the 1980s and 1990s, the UK rates have remained static. However, there has been a slight decrease in recent years.

2.4 In addition to high conception rates, at least 10% of sexually active teenagers are estimated to have a sexually transmitted infection and chlamydia rates are increasing fastest among 16-19 year old women. The Government's Sexual Health and HIV Strategy for England, published in July 2001, seeks to reduce these rates.

2.5 The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy aims to help young people resist peer pressure to have early sex and to use contraception if and when they decide to become sexually active. This is being done through a combination of a national media campaign in teenage magazines and local radio, improved sex and relationship education in schools and other agencies, the provision of effective contraception and advice services which are trusted by young people, and support for parents in talking to their children about sex.

2.6 The Department for Education and Skills (DFES) places sex and relationship education in the context of lifelong learning about sex, sexuality, emotions, relationships and sexual health. SRE involves young people in acquiring information, developing skills and clarifying their attitudes and values. (A full list of what young people gain from participating in SRE is on page 5 of Appendix 1 attached).

3 Role of the Youth Service and contents of draft policy (Appendix 1)

3.1 Hampshire County Youth Service (HCYS) has a role in the delivery of SRE. The voluntary nature of the relationship between youth workers and young people puts them in a strong position to offer young people, when they are ready, the information and support they need to develop safe and responsible sexual relationships. As part of the Hampshire TPP action plan for 2004-06, HCYS agreed to review its SRE policy and Appendix 1 attached is the draft policy resulting from the review.

3.2 The draft policy provides:

· context and definition

· a clear framework - including values, legal background, good practice guidance and reference to training, information and support contacts.

3.3 The draft policy document makes full use of the DFES guidance on SRE and consultations have been held with members of the Hampshire TPP board, youth workers and young people.

4 Legal implications

4.1 Youth workers can provide young people, including those who are under 16 years old, with general information about contraceptive methods and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). This can include the importance of using condoms to prevent STIs.

4.2 Youth workers who have undergone specific training may provide young people, including those under 16, with condoms. The supply of condoms is not seen as promoting sexual activity, but as providing the means to engage in it more safely.

5 Financial implications

5.1 Any associated costs to be met from existing budgets including some funding from other agencies.

6 Personnel implications

6.1 None.

7 Impact assessment

7.1 A race and equality impact assessment has been considered in the development of this report. Youth workers often work with marginalised groups of young people who may not be able or willing to access other services. Youth workers also work with groups of young people with specific needs, e.g. gay, lesbian and bisexual young people, single sex groups, children looked after, young people with disabilities, black or minority ethnic groups, and are therefore well placed to provide these groups with appropriate SRE opportunities.

8 Crime prevention issues

8.1 One of the outcomes that may come from young people participating in SRE delivered by HCYS is knowledge of how the law applies to sexual relationships. Acquisition of this knowledge by young people may avoid their involvement in illegal sexual activity through ignorance of the law. SRE can also result in young people having the confidence and self esteem to value themselves and others, and this may reduce the likelihood of young people being the victims or perpetrators of crime.

9 Views of the Local County Councillor

9.1 Not applicable.

10 Recommendations

10.1 That it be a RECOMMENDATION to the Executive Member for Education:

That the Sex and Relationships policy of the Youth Service be approved.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background Papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the preparation of this report.

N.B. The list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

Teenage Pregnancy Strategy - Hampshire County Council