Helping young families cope with the demands of parenthood and reach their full potential is a priority for Government. The Department for Children, Schools and Families strategy for reducing the numbers of teenage pregnancies has already proved a success - with under 18 conception rates down by 11.4% and at their lowest level for 20 years. While continuing the drive to accelerate this reduction, we want to ensure that teenage parents receive the support they need to make successful futures for themselves and their children, and avoid repeat pregnancies in their teenage years.
The new Teenage Parents Support Strategy, available below, looks to build on this good work and is part of the long term goal to reduce teenage pregnancy. Government seeks to do this by breaking the cycle of disadvantage, but more immediately it aims to support teenage mothers and young fathers to use contraception effectively to prevent second pregnancies.
Implementation of Teenage Parents Next Steps
The next step is to make sure that implementation of the guidance locally is discussed at the next Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board or relevant strategic boards. The guidance asks Directors of Children's Services to work with senior leaders in the PCT and with Local Strategic Partnerships to include work to support teenage parents as part of the Children and Young People's Plan and Local Area Agreements. It is therefore important that discussions about local implementation takes place by September, ahead of LAA negotiations.
