Archived decisions

HAMPSHIRE TEENAGE PREGNANCY STRATEGY

1. As part of a ten year national Teenage Pregnancy Strategy set in 2000, each top-tier local authority is required to devise a strategy and set targets to reduce the under eighteen teenage pregnancy rates and to reduce the social exclusion experienced by teenage parents. The 2010 targets aim to reduce under eighteen conceptions from the 1998 baseline figure of 35.9 to 19.8 per thousand of young women aged fifteen to seventeen and for 60% of young mothers aged sixteen to nineteen to be in some form of education, employment or training by that date.

2. The County Council has adopted a local multi-agency response to the above Strategy by seeking to involve its partners in the work of the Hampshire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership. Hampshire was successful in meeting the 2004 target for reducing under eighteen conceptions with 15% reduction to 30.3 (per thousand of young women aged fifteen to seventeen). However, the 2005 data has shown a small increase to 30.9. The Connexions database is being used to measure the percentage of young mothers aged sixteen to nineteen in education, employment or training and at March 2007 the percentage was 29.3%. A number of key areas have been identified to meet the required targets. These include research to develop early intervention; to improve Sex and Relationship Education; to develop effective one to one interventions; to reduce second pregnancies and the number of young women facing repeat abortions; to increase self-esteem in young people; to raise the aspirations of young women in deprived areas and to provide appropriate housing support for young parents. Health inequalities have been identified as an added area of investigation in the Joint Area Review, to which the work of the Teenage Pregnancy Partnership will contribute.

3. The Partnership has recently produced data files for each of the eleven district councils in Hampshire which will enable planning and focused work in areas with high teenage pregnancies. A check-list is also being developed to make the best use of locally available data, including advice on how best to assess the incidence of second pregnancies. Funding for the Partnership is allocated in different ways and has been agreed until March 2008. The Executive Lead Member for Children's Services has agreed a report on the work to date of the Hampshire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership and a copy of this is available in the Members' Rooms. The Executive Lead Member is to receive a further report on this item later in the year.

4. The above work aims to improve support for teenage parents, their access to appropriate health services and to reduce teenage conceptions. This supports the Council's Corporate Priorities.