Education and learning

Teenage pregnancy

Currently, the multi-agency Teenage Pregnancy Strategic Partnership Board is responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of the local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy.  The Board is co-chaired by the assistant director of policy, planning & commissioning within the children, young people and learners department and a consultant in public health from the PCT.

The joint PSA target (DfES/DH) for teenage conceptions is 'to halve the under 18 conception rate between 1998 and 2010 and to set a firmly established downward trend in the conception rate for under 16's by 2010'.

The strategy also aims to deliver the DfES PSA target 'to increase the participation of teenage mothers in education, training and employment to 60% by 2010', which relates to the Enjoy and Achieve ECM outcome.

These are also key indicators included within the Every Child Matters (ECM) outcome framework and associated actions are included in the local authorities 'Children and Young Peoples Plan' (CYPP).

In 2006, Government guidance reiterated the rationale for the national teenage pregnancy strategy, highlighting the short and long-term consequences of early parenthood in terms of poorer health and education outcomes for teenage mothers and their children. As part of this guidance, a detailed self-assessment tool was produced to help local areas review their strategies and ensure arrangements are in place for optimal delivery against the conception target.

As a consequence in 2006/07, the Croydon Teenage Pregnancy Strategic Partnership Board conducted an in-depth review of the local teenage pregnancy strategy and developed a revised action plan for 2007/08 based on the findings.

The Croydon teenage pregnancy strategy addresses three key themes:

• Better prevention and education of the causes of teenage pregnancy
• Better support for pregnant teenagers and teenage parents.

Joined up action at local level (which is complemented by action at regional and national level).

The key aims of the Croydon teenage pregnancy strategy are to:

• Provide local guidance, training, advice and support to enable all schools and youth services to develop and improve sex and relationship education to young people in line with national guidance and requirements;
• Develop a range of sexual health services for young people which meet best practice standards, and which are widely known about by young people;
• Develop targeted prevention programmes to reduce exclusion and disadvantage for socially excluded young people;
• Improve the health, education and life chances of pregnant teenagers and teenage parents and their children by co-ordinating and improving support from the antenatal through to the post-natal period, and increasing opportunities for education, employment and training;
• Involve young people in service developments & reviewing and evaluating services.

Contact Details

Contact name

Steve Liddicott

Job title

Assistant Director of Policy, Planning and Commissioning

Department

Children, Young People and Learners

Telephone

0208 726 6000

Email

steve.liddicott@croydon.gov.uk

Contact name

Kate Naish

Job title

Croydon Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator

Department

Croydon PCT, Public Health Department

Telephone

0208 8274 6448