Executive Board 31 March 2004
Somerset County Council
Executive Board - 31March 2004
Julie Husband, Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator
01823 320309
1.1
1.2
The Teenage Pregnancy Annual Report outlines work that has been undertaken over the previous year as well as detailing an action plan for 2004/05/06. The work is steered by the multi agency Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board.
A copy of the Annual Report has been sent to each member of the Executive Board and
Scrutiny Committee and relevant officers. A copy is available for public inspection at County
Hall or on request by contacting the report officer.
2.1 It is recommended that the Somerset Teenage Pregnancy Annual Report 2003/04 and the accompanying Action Plan for 2004/05 be approved.
3.2
3.1
3.3
In March 2001 Somerset presented its Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in response to the
Teenage Pregnancy Report published by the Social Exclusion Unit in June 1999.
Somerset’s target is to:

Reduce the rate of under 18 conceptions by 50% by 2010, with an interim target of a reduction of 15% by the end of 2004.

Set a downward trend in the under 16 conception rates by 2010.

To increase the participation of teenage parents in education, training and employment to reduce their risk of long-term social exclusion
In Somerset the under 18 conception rate for the baseline year of 1998 was 38.7 per 1,000 with a target of 32.9 by 2004 and 19.4 by 2010.
All Primary Care Trusts (PCT) have a Local Delivery Plan (LDP) that, at a minimum, addresses each of the priority areas set out in the Priorities and Planning Framework. For the teenage pregnancy target each PCT has set out a local trajectory for the under 18 conception rate which will result in achievement of the targets. Progress of PCTs against their teenage pregnancy trajectory will be monitored by Strategic Health Authorities and
Regional Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinators.
The under 18 conception rate is one of two cross cutting indicators in the Local Government
Best Value Performance Indicator Set for 2003/04.
1

Executive Board 31 March 2004
3.7
3.6
3.4
3.5
The Teenage Pregnancy Unit is a cross-Government Unit located within the Department for
Education and Skills, which was set up to implement the Social Exclusion Unit's report on
Teenage Pregnancy.
The Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator’s primary role is to implement the Teenage Pregnancy
Strategy and to be a local champion for action and services to prevent teenage pregnancy and support teenage parents. Additional support is provided by a Regional Teenage
Pregnancy Co-ordinator, GOSW, who covers the whole of the south-west.
Although the most recent data shows an increase in under 18 conceptions there is still a downward trend.
Under 18 conception rates are calculated from data on the number of conceptions and the total number of females aged 15-17 in an area (the population denominator).
1998
1999
2000
2001
No of under 18 conceptions
Somerset
352
345
333
300
% conceptions leading abortion
48.0%
51.3%
47.7%
47.0% of to
Conception rate/1000
38.2
38.1
36.6
31.9
% increase (+)
/decrease (-) in rate since
N/A
-0.3
-4.1
-16.4
2002 322 Not available 33.7 -11.6
The under 18 conception rate for England in 2002 is 42.6 per 1000 females aged 15-17.
This now represents a 9.4% decline from the 1998 rate.
The under 18 conception rate for Somerset in 2002 is 33.7 per 1000 females aged 15-17.
This represents an 11.6% decline from the 1998 rate.
The Annual Report outlines work that has happened in the following areas:

Media – including, Key area of work for 2003/04: A guide for young parents in
Somerset has been produced in collaboration between TYPPP, (Taunton Young
Parents Peer Partnership), Connexions, Somerset Children’s Information Service
(SCIS) and Somerset County Youth Service. This project has been funded by the
Teenage Pregnancy Implementation Grant. The guide will be distributed initially to all organisations that work with young parents and will then be distributed primarily by midwives and health visitors. Action Plan : A user friendly summary of the
Teenage Pregnancy Annual Report and Action Plan will be produced and distributed

Sex & Relationship Education – Key area of work for 2003/04: In September
2003 a S&RE Schools Advisor was recruited and appointed from the Teenage
Pregnancy Implementation Grant. In the six months that she has been employed the S&RE Schools Advisor has had a remarkable impact on the quality and amount of support available to school staff who are involved in S&RE. Her role is to support schools in their S&RE policy development, plan and deliver training to governors, parents, school nurses and school staff. Action Plan: The Healthy Schools Team will recruit and support 20 teachers to take part in the national Certification of the teaching Personal Social Health Education (PSHE) scheme.

Better Contraception, advice & information – Key area of work for 2003/04:
There has been considerable progress with the Somerset Badging Scheme for young people’s health services now called ‘Respect’. The aim of the Badging
Scheme is to enable young people in Somerset to clearly identify health services that they can trust and readily access by a recognisable logo as well as supporting primary care to deliver a service young people can trust. A set of quality minimum standards have been produced for young people’s health services. Action Plan:
E mploy project worker to develop boys and young men’s work across Somerset.
2

Executive Board 31 March 2004

Better support for teenage parents – Key area of work for 2003/04: A county wide steering group has been set up comprising of staff from Sure Start, Midwifery
Service, PCT’s, Connexions, EYDCP, Bridgwater College, Supporting People,
Somerset County Youth Service, Social Services. The steering group has a strategic overview of the work around young parents and will develop services to young parents across the county. Action Plan: A protocol for housing providers on providing information and services for young parents will be developed in conjunction with Supporting People and the Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator.
4.1 None
5.1
5.2
Teenage Pregnancy work is supported by an Implementation Grant, which comes direct from the Department of Education and Skills. This funding is allocated on an annual basis and will be ring-fenced until the March 2006. The Teenage Pregnancy Steering Group is a multi-agency group and is responsible for developing the action points in the Teenage
Pregnancy Strategy and for allocating the Implementation Grant. Funding for the period
2003/04 was £129,000. Funding for 2004/05 is £172,000 with £15,000 ring fenced for the
PSHE CPD (continuing professional development) certification.
Somerset County Council is the accountable organisation for the Teenage Pregnancy
Implementation Grant.
6.1 The NHS Plan has an interim target of a 15% reduction in under 18 conceptions by 2004, which is also a Manifesto commitment. These national targets have been translated into key priorities for health and social care over the next three years in the Priorities and Planning
Framework (PPF) 2003/06. Teenage pregnancy features under the reducing health inequalities section with a target to 'achieve agreed local teenage conception reduction targets while reducing the gap in rates between the worst fifth of wards and the average by at least a quarter in line with national targets'.
7.1 Young people who are disaffected or have chaotic lifestyles are more likely to become teenage parents. Tackling this issue has to therefore be closely linked with other initiatives.
8.1 None
3

Executive Board 31 March 2004
9.1
9.2
9.3
Teenage Pregnancy Report – Social Exclusion Unit
Somerset Teenage Pregnancy Strategy 2001
Further information can be found at www.teenagepregnancyunit.gov.uk
Health Development Agency – Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood : a Review of Reviews
(copies available from Anne Phillips, B2N3
Note For sight of individual background papers please contact the report author.
4