In June 1999 the Government published the National Teenage Pregnancy Report which detailed a strategy that would aim to achieve two main goals:
- To reduce the rate of conceptions among under 18s by half in the ten years to 2010
- To get more teenage parents into education, training or employment to reduce their risk of long-term social exclusion.
In order to deliver the objectives of the Teenage Pregnancy Report a National Strategy was implemented. This stated that 'each Local Authority and Health Authority has a responsibility to develop a local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy'. The strategy developed aimed to help improve sex and relationships education delivered in and out of schools, by improving local services which support young people around these issues, by offering opportunities for young people to improve their self-esteem and by offering young parents lots of support and by helping to engage them in positive activities.
The Teenage Pregnancy team, based within Children and Young People's Services, also lead on two specific initiatives, supported by partners, the TIC TAC bus and the C-card scheme. The TIC TAC bus is a mobile resource offering young people the chance to get information and advice on sex, relationships and contraception. The C-card scheme helps to educate young people about correct condom use, gives young people a chance to discuss sex and relationships with professionals and helps make condoms a bit more accessible.
