According to data released today (Wednesday 22 March) by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures for 2015 show that 20.8 per 1,000 young women under-18 became pregnant, a reduction of 8.8% from 2014, with numbers dropping from 21,282 to 19,080. The rate of under-16s conceptions has fallen by 15.9% with numbers down from 3,912 to 3,261.

The decline since 1998 is now 55.4%, with a similar reduction in conceptions to under-16s. 

Alison Hadley, Director of the Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange, at the University of Bedfordshire, who led the Labour Government’s teenage pregnancy strategy, which began in 1999, said: "The continuing decline reflects the on-going commitment of councils, schools and dedicated local practitioners to support young people to make well informed choices.

“However, as the Local Government Association makes clear in their briefing to councillors, there is more to do to build on the success. Progress is uneven between local authorities with an almost 6-fold variation in rates, and levels in England continue to be higher than young people experience in comparable western European countries.”

Critical to further progress is government’s decision this month to make relationships and sex education statutory in all schools. Alison, who recommended statutory status when she gave evidence to the Education Select Committee enquiry into SRE and PSHE, said: “This is a milestone decision which recognises the overwhelming evidence presented by five select committees, young people, parents, councils, teaching organisations, medical and nursing colleges and the voluntary sector.

“It is clear that comprehensive relationships and sex education - starting with basic lessons at the beginning of primary school and continuing throughout secondary school - is essential in equipping all children and young people to make safe, well informed decisions about relationships, pregnancy and sexual health. But while many schools have developed excellent RSE, the non-statutory status has resulted in patchy provision and a postcode lottery for many young people.

“The job now is to ensure the proposed changes translate into high quality RSE which meets the needs of young people: new guidance for schools which reflect the complex issues of the 21^st century, investment in training to ensure teachers are skilled and confident, and monitoring of RSE provision quality by Ofsted. Effective implementation will lay the foundations of knowledge and skills for successive generations of children and young people – releasing Councils’ diminishing resources to focus on the other aspects of effective teenage pregnancy programmes* – including youth friendly contraceptive services, targeted prevention for young people most at risk and high quality support for young parents.”

The Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange, at the University of Bedfordshire, is the national source of expert advice and information on teenage pregnancy, providing training, research and consultancy. Alison is also Teenage Pregnancy Advisor to Public Health England and working with the World Health Organisation to share the successful lessons of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy internationally.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

For more information about Alison Hadley and the Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange visit:  www.beds.ac.uk/knowledgeexchange

To arrange an interview with Alison, please contact the University of Bedfordshire Press Office, Tel: Ulrika Meegolla on 01582 489399 or 07734 981212 ulrika.meegolla@beds.ac.uk

* The ten key factors for an effective strategy were developed from the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. These can be found in the Local Government Association briefing for councillors – Teenage Pregnancy and Young Parents: good progress but more to do – with examples of good practice from local councils.