Stepping up efforts to reduce teen pregnancy in Borough Advice and help for young people is being stepped up to help reduce the number of teenage pregnancies in the Borough.
Local and national concern after there were 314 teenage pregnancies in the Borough in 2006 have led to action being increased.
And statistics show that, although teenage pregancy rates in the Borough remain high, the trend is that they are starting to reduce.
Most progress is being made in the most deprived communities which have traditionally been associated with higher levels of teenage pregnancy.
As well as spreading the important message ‘RUReady (Delay)’ to encourage young people to think twice before having sex, people across the Borough who work with young people are being trained to add their voice to the initiative and offer Delay advice as they go about their daily contacts.
Other initiatives aimed at helping local young people make informed choices about sex and contraception are:
- The TIC TAC (teenage information, teenage advice) bus – which visits various locations around the borough offering young people free health, well-being, relationship and sexual health information, advice and support, including access to the Condom Card Scheme and Chlamydia testing, on a drop-in basis.
- The C-Card scheme – which allows young people under 19 to access free condoms and sexual health advice confidentially at locations and times that are suited to them.
- The Great Debate – in late 2007 a borough-wide consultation was held with more than 1700 young people asking what they wanted and needed from sexual health services. Services are continuing to be shaped around the results of the Great Debate.
This year there has been significant investment by the Primary Care Trust in commissioning the Brook Advisory Service to provide an integrated sexual health and contraceptive service for young people.
This will see more clinical sessions, outreach to vulnerable groups and relocation to a more central and accessible base in Wigan town centre.
In 2009 there are plans to expand the availability of the ‘SpeakEasy’ Programme, supporting parents and carers with children of all ages to become more confident in talking to their children about difficult issues such as relationships, sexual health, drugs and alcohol.
Advice is available
The Wigan Teenage Pregnancy Partnership delivers universal services, but with efforts focused on the most disadvantaged and vulnerable young people, and have some excellent nationally recognised examples of good practice both in reducing teenage pregnancy and supporting teenage parents.
Wigan Borough has the highest uptake in England of childcare funding for teenage mothers to access education or training and high rates of young mothers continuing or re-engaging with education, training or employment, which significantly improves the long-term future for themselves and their children.
Wigan Borough has developed good strong foundations from which to tackle our high rates of teenage pregnancy. Whilst we are under no illusions that we still have a very long way to go, we are optimistic that these considerable efforts will prove successful.
Useful websites:
