Teenage Conceptions

The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy aims to provide excellent universal services for all young people with specific targeting of services and support for those most at risk. This section explains what we are doing to further reduce teenage conception rates in Newcastle.

What are the impacts of becoming a teenage parent?

It is recognised that individual young people can be competent parents, however:

Research shows that, for some people, becoming a parent at a young age may have a negative impact on their health, education and well-being.

Teenage mothers are less likely to finish their education, and more likely to bring up their child alone and in poverty.
Infant mortality rate for babies born to teenage mothers is 60 per cent higher than for babies born to older mothers.
Teenage mothers are more likely to smoke during pregnancy and are less likely to breastfeed, both of which have negative health consequences for the child.
They also have 3 times the rate of post-natal depression of older mothers and a higher risk of poor mental health for 3 years after the birth.
Children of teenage mothers are generally at increased risk of poverty, low educational attainment, poor housing and poor health, and have lower rates of economic activity in adult life.
Rates are highest among deprived communities, so the negative consequences of teenage pregnancy are disproportionately concentrated among those who are already disadvantaged.

What has been done to reduce teenage conception rates?

The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy 2008/11 builds on the 2006/08 Strategy and further develops key areas of work
Teenage Kicks’ Sex and Relationship Education (SRE) Outreach Team works with key partners to deliver a comprehensive, high quality SRE programme targeted at young people most at risk of becoming teenage parents and those living in ‘hotspot’ areas of the city. The team delivered SRE to 1,243 young people in 2008/9.
There has been targeted SRE work with BME community leaders and parents, Looked after Children and care leavers.
An SRE Quality Mark has been developed and is being piloted in secondary schools. Schools are trialling the Sex Education Forum SRE audit to help establish a baseline.
A comprehensive communications strategy has promoted issues such as ‘Delay’ and ‘Plan B’, production of Mint, a nationally recognised magazine for young women, and a ‘Sex sense’ leaflet listing all support available for young people around sex and relationships and how to access it.
Access to free Emergency Oral Hormonal Contraception (EOHC) through local pharmacies has increased take-up by 50%
Reduction in waiting times for termination of pregnancy
Focussed work with teenage parents on the prevention of second and subsequent pregnancies
Streetwise were awarded the ‘You're Welcome’ quality standard from the Department of Health in March 2009.
Good progress on establishing school drop-in in secondary schools
C Card has been extended across a large number of outlets and linked with Chlamydia testing.
Full time Dads’ worker provides a wide range of support for Young Dads.
Becoming a Parent courses for teenage parents has been delivered by Barnardos.
Focus on parenting programmes and support delivered through a range of universal and targeted settings for teen parents wanting to develop their ability to parent their children more effectively.
Increased parent take up of information, advice and guidance for education, training and employment.
All young parents assessed for housing need and referred to relevant service.
A new city-wide Contraceptive and Sexual Health (CASH) and Genito-Urinary Medicine centre – the New Croft Centre - opened in the city centre in 2009. We are recruiting young people to meet and greet people as they come into the building.
Youth services have been more closely involved in Teenage Pregnancy prevention work, with youth work provision now available on Friday and Saturday nights and 2 outreach buses that can be deployed as needed.
A new outreach service primarily for teenagers most at risk of an unwanted pregnancy has been established.

What will we do next?

Implement the refreshed the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy and action plan which pilots a targeted task force in areas with the highest teenage conception rates, involving school heads, PHSE leads, school health advisers, youth services, contraception and sexual health (CASH) services, GPs and others.

Implement a new Long Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) outreach service with incentive schemes and training for GPs and pharmacists.

Refocus Teenage Kicks and build on experience to date and strengthen links with youth services and school health services.

Develop a city centre youth facility with sexual health services through the successful £5 million ‘My Place’ bid.

Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood Strategy News Bulletins

The teenage pregnancy and parenthood in Newcastle bulletin has been produced to keep everyone involved in the teenage pregnancy strategy up to date with developments.

April 2009 (20.6 kb, Pdf)
March 2009 (44.5 kb, Pdf)
April 2008 (42kb, Pdf)
November 2008 (39.2 kb, Pdf)

Partners

Related information

Teenage Pregnancy Board

Sexual Health

Ashlyns Unit

Inclusion - Teenage Pregnancy

Family Services Directory

Theme Leads

Access to services
Claire Pinder
Clinical Service Manager, Sexual Health
Newcastle PCT
Email:claire.pinder@newcastle-pct.nhs.uk
Phone: 0191 229 2852

Sex and relationships education
Linda Mason, Head of Inclusion
Newcastle City Council
Email: linda.mason@newcastle.gov.uk
Phone: 0191 211 5303

Communications
Jane Byrne, Marketing Manager
Newcastle City Council
Email:jane.byrne@newcastle.gov.uk
Phone:0191 211 5093

Supporting teenage parents
Jacqui Sirs, Assistant Director, Barnardos
Email: Jacqui.sirs@barnardos.org.uk
Phone:0191 240 4800

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