Teenage Pregnancy

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Teenage Pregnancy Sexual Health/Sexual
Practices March 13th 2008 Manchester Mark
Limmer Strategy Manager (Teenage Pregnancy
Sexual Health), Rochdale Deputy Regional Teenage
Pregnancy Co-ordinator mark.limmer_at_dh.gsi.gov.uk
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Teenage Pregnancy Strategy 2 targets Halve the
under-18 conception rate by 2010, and establish a
firm downward trend in the under-16
rate Increase the proportion of teenage parents
in education, training or employment to 60 by
2010, to reduce their risk of long-term social
exclusion
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Progress to date
Conceptions reduced by 13.3 Live Births
reduced by 23.7
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• What are the characteristics of an effective
  strategy?
• Deep-Dive
• Strong partnerships and strategic leadership
• Good, flexible, young person focused
  contraceptive services
• Effective and consistent sex and relationships
  education (SRE)
• Creative and sustained targeted work with those
  most vulnerable.
• Well resourced Youth Services with focused work
• In addition
• Addressing the underlying factors of poverty,
  inequality, aspiration and academic achievement.

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Teenage Pregnancy and South Asian Young People
What do we know? Sources Office of National
Statistics Teenage Pregnancy Unit Research
Briefings National and Local Research Teenage
Pregnancy Strategy Local Progress Reports
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What do we know about south asian young people,
sexual health and teenage pregnancy? Data is
sparse, but improving. There is a need for
further research. This is not a homogenous
group It depends on how their parents are and
their families are.every person has different
views in asian families
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What do we know about south asian young people,
sexual health and teenage pregnancy? South asian
young people are less likely to report any sexual
activity including intercourse. Boys are more
likely to report sexual activity than girls.
Redgrave Limmer (2005)
Outcome data is weak, but there is evidence of
higher numbers of teenage parents among older
young people 17-18 year olds but lower in the
under 16s
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What do we know about south asian young people,
sexual health and teenage pregnancy? Less likely
to have gained significant levels of knowledge
from school SRE and also less likely to have
found it relevant to their needs BUT more likely
to see school as their preferred source of
information rather than parents of
peers. Younger south asian girls and boys were
less likely to feel comfortable using services
and report fewer people to talk to. Use of
mainstream contraception and sexual health
clinics is generally low (may reflect need) but
evidence of more crisis use in some clinics. (ie
late access to abortion emergency contraception
etc)
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Risk and protective factors for teenage
pregnancy South asian young people are less
likely to report the risk factors of alcohol and
drug use, exclusion from school, being a child of
a teenage parent and living in an area of higher
deprivation. But are more likely to report the
risk factors of poor levels of knowledge and
willingness to access services. South asian
young people are more likely to report the
protective factors of engagement in education,
high aspiration and supportive family structures.
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What are the challenges to delivering the Teenage
Pregnancy Strategy to south asian young
people? Assumptions from the one size fits
all model to the they dont need to know this
response. Ensuring that sex and relationships
education is inclusive and relevant to different
attitudes, values and behaviours not simply
aimed at what are perceived as the majority
needs. Focus on under 18 conceptions and sexual
health outcomes does not resonate with the needs
of all groups where does promotion of positive
sexual models fit in. Ensuring young people
trust the confidentiality of services,
particularly where breaches are seen as
particularly damaging. Key staff delivering the
strategy are not representative of local
communities which precludes choice.
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How does the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy need to
improve to meet the needs of south asian young
people? More creative and inclusive sex and
relationships education that reflects the needs
of all young people and is delivered in a variety
of ways and settings. Development of resources
outside of schools that enable more informal
education and information to south asian young
people. Strategic recognition that there is more
to young peoples sexuality than the conception
target which can be seen as irrelevant to
some. Greater variety of sexual health and
contraceptive services, delivered in ways that
are more accessible to south asian young people.
Respond to the complexity of young people in
terms of gender, age, sexuality, confidence etc
rather than solely in terms of ethnicity.
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To finish on a positive note there are some
helpful opportunities in the offing. A review of
the provision of sex and relationships education
in schools. The development and roll out of the
Youre Welcome Standards for young peoples
services. Greater recognition of the need to
link a combination of risk and protective factors
at a strategic and delivery level through
Targeted Youth Support There is extensive good
and effective practice for us to learn from.