Shropshire teenage pregnancy rate among lowest in the country

Shropshire is among the 10 counties in the country with the lowest teenage pregnancy rate after it fell to its lowest level in 13 years, new figures have revealed. 

The figures released by the Office for National Statistics highlight how efforts to reduce teenage pregnancy rates in the county are having an impact.  The aims and actions to achieve this were outlined in the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy launched by Shropshire Council and partners in 1999. 

The quarterly data shows that the number of conceptions per 1,000 females aged under 18 in Shropshire for July 2011 to September 2011 was 15.2, compared to 22.4 for the same period in 2010. 

This is also significantly below the Shropshire figure of 34 per 1,000 in 1998, used as a baseline at the start of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, and the national figure for England and Wales for July to September 2011 which was 29.4 per 1,000. 

The figure takes the average for Shropshire from January 2011 to September 2011 to 24 per 1,000, compared to 24.4 for the same period in 2010.  The figure for the final quarter of 2011, October to December, is yet to be published. 

Karen Burgoyne, Shropshire Council’s deputy Cabinet member, said:

“Since the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy was launched, the figure has continued to fall; we have the seventh lowest rate in the country, which is a great achievement for our young people. 

“We are working closely with children, young people including those who are most at risk, parents and partner organisations, to improve ways that young people receive appropriate, accurate information about relationships and sexual health. 

“Innovative, nationally-recognised work is taking place in Shropshire to help them make decisions about their future, and these figures show that the range of education, prevention and support offered is making a difference.” 

Over the last few years, efforts to reach national targets to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies have resulted in an increased commitment from partners across the county to provide young people with the skills, confidence and information to make important choices. 

This has included Shropshire Council and Shropshire County Primary Care Trust developing resources and training programmes for schools.  One of these resources is the Shropshire Respect Yourself Relationship and Sex Education Programme, which won a UK Sexual Health Award for innovation in Relationship and Sex Education, and is offered to all schools in the county. 

Shropshire Council also delivers the Speakeasy programme and Trust Me…I’m a Parent, two programmes aimed at providing parents and carers with the skills and confidence to talk to children and young people about growing up, relationships and sexual health. 

To find out more about these services go to shropshire.gov.uk/youth.nsf. 

Parents and carers can also contact Shropshire Council’s Family Information Service on 01743 254400 for local services.