Agenda item

To consider a report of the Strategic Director People on the issues and recommendations arising from the recent visit of the National Support Team in relation to Teenage Pregnancy in Cheshire East.  This report is also on the agenda for the meeting of the Children and Families Scrutiny Committee on 14 September 2009.

The Committee considered a report of the Strategic Director People on issues that had arisen from the visit of the National Support Team following sustained underperformance in the reduction of teenage pregnancy rates across Cheshire. 

Lorraine Butcher, Head of Services for Children and Families, explained to the Committee that the Government’s Teenage Pregnancy Reduction Strategy 1998 had set a target for Local Authorities to reduce by half the numbers of conceptions among under 18 year olds by 2010.  In Cheshire the rate had not reduced by a sufficient amount.  Under 18 conceptions were focused in small geographical areas with the pattern of conception being significantly greater than would be expected in these areas indicating that deprivation was only one of a number of responsible factors.  Such “hot spot” areas had historically received prevention services but rates had remained steady or increased.  Some areas had shown high levels of single or repeat terminations and there was concern for vulnerable groups such as care leavers. 

The National Support Team had produced a formal report after the visit with the key recommendations being:

      An Executive Board to be developed and chaired by the Directors from the Council and the Primary Care Trust to lead, drive forward and performance manage the teenage pregnancy prevention strategy;

      A Senior Strategic post be recruited to the Council to lead on teenage pregnancy prevention – this was funded by Government grant;

      As part of the Children’s Trust arrangements, data should be disseminated in an accessible and relevant format by all and between all partners, to better inform planning, targeting and performance management of the strategy;

      The Council and PCT communications leads to be responsible for the urgent development of a Teenage Pregnancy Communication Strategy and Action Plan;

      There should be an explicit and detailed young people’s Sexual Health Needs Assessment to inform the design and delivery of young people’s contraception and sexual health services as part of a strategic commissioning plan;

      There should be a radical overhaul of current Contraceptive and Sexual Health (CASH) provision to ensure it meets young people’s needs.

During discussion of the report the following issues were raised:

      The data was always out of date by about 14 months so it was difficult to immediately assess the impact of any preventative measures;

      The Teenage Pregnancy rate was based solely on age and did not take into account marital status as evidence showed that outcomes were poorer for children of Teenage Parents;

      Sex education was to be compulsory in secondary schools from September 2010.  It was thought to be more effective if delivered by young people, school nurses and school health advisors rather than teachers and there was some evidence to suggest that relationship and sex education was effective during Primary School;

      For some young people, teenage pregnancy was a deliberate choice and it was important to take into account aspirations of young people when considering strategies to address the issue.

RESOLVED:  That the recommendations made by the National Support Team as listed above be supported and that Cheshire East Council work with the Primary Care Trust and other partners to finalise Action and Delivery Plans in line with the timescales outlined.