Teenage Pregnancy Strategy on Track
Oldham Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board recently received official recognition that it is on track to meet its 2010 target of halving teenage pregnancies in the borough.
Oldham has achieved a 16.1% reduction in conception rates since 1998, surpassing its 15% target. This puts Oldham on course to meet the 50% target by 2010.
Recent feedback from the Department for Education and Skills’ Teenage Pregnancy Unit has praised Oldham’s strategy for dealing with teenage pregnancy, particularly the joint approach to strategic working across all partner agencies.
The Unit has confirmed that Oldham’s successful approach means it has “good prospects” – the highest rating it can give – for achieving its targets over the next five years.
Veronica Jackson, Chair of the Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board and Executive Director of Social Services and Health, OMBC, welcomed the feedback: “We are extremely pleased to see that Oldham is on track for meeting its 2010 target to reduce teenage pregnancies in the Borough by half.
“It shows that our local teenage pregnancy strategy is working because rates have fallen by more than 15% from 1998 to 2003.
“It is great news for the Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board and local teenage pregnancy co-ordinator, and a reflection of all the hard work that has gone on in this challenging area to improve services significantly over the last two years.”
One area where the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is enjoying continued success is in encouraging teenage mothers into Employment, Education and Training.
Between April 2004 and April 2005 the number of teenage mothers taking part in Education, Employment and Training soared by nearly 100% from 45 to 87. This means that 35% of teenage mothers are in Education, Employment and Training and puts Oldham on course for reaching the target of 60% in this category by 2010.
Success in this area has been due to a number of initiatives, notably:
- The Government’s Care to Learn scheme, which covers childcare costs when young mothers go back into education or training, is now running in the borough
- the Connexions Service has appointed a dedicated Personal Adviser to work with pregnant teenagers and teenage parents
- A specialist midwife and a specialist health visitor have been appointed to work with pregnant teenagers and young parents
Oldham Teenage Pregnancy Partnership Board is a multi-agency board bringing together the Local Education Authority, Primary Care Trust, Pennine Acute Trust, the voluntary sector, OMBC Housing Department and Positive Steps Oldham, a local independent sector organisation that delivers a range of young people’s services, including Connexions and the Youth Offending Service.
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For further information, contact Andy Swain, Marketing and Information Manager, Positive Steps Oldham, on 0161 621 9321, or Kimberley Lee, Acting Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator, on 0161 621 9348.
