To approve the Kent Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for 2015-2020
The strategy has been informed by stakeholder engagement events, which included the views of sexual health workers, school nurses, midwives, district level representatives, health improvement workers, early intervention workers and teachers and has been developed by close collaboration between public health and education and young people teams. In developing the strategy, the findings and recommendations of the Kent County Council Select Committee: PSHE/Children’s Health report (2007) were taken into consideration. The report’s recommendations will also be used as the basis of developing local action plans
The strategy was subject to an equality impact assessment and stakeholder and public consultation. Feedback from the consultation has been incorporated.
The aim of the strategy is to help young people to thrive, become resilient and make positive contributions to their communities and wider society. This will be achieved by providing access to information, services and early help, so that they can make appropriate choices about their sexual relationships. When young people decide to have a child, they should have support to achieve the best possible outcome for themselves and their children. Young people should be involved in this work.
As well as improving the information, advice and support we provide to all young people and introducing measures so that sexually active young people can access contraception easily and use it effectively, our success in reducing teenage pregnancy rates will also depend on how effectively we tackle the underlying factors that increase the risk of teenage pregnancy – such as poverty, low educational attainment, poor attendance at school, non-participation in post-16 learning and low aspirations. Offering appropriate support to young people who are experiencing these underlying risk factors will help to build their resilience and raise their aspirations and so reduce the likelihood that they experience a range of poor outcomes, including teenage pregnancy.
Legal and Financial Implications
There are no legal implications.There are no direct costs relating to the strategy other than officers time expanded in ensuring it is implemented at County and District level.
Decision type: Key
Reason Key: Affects more than two Electoral Divisions;
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Division affected: (All Division);
Notice of proposed decision first published: 05/10/2014
Decision due: Not before 14th Sep 2015 by Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
Reason: in order that the proposed decision can be published for a minimum of 28 days in accordance with statutory requirements
To seek approval and adoption of the Kent Teenage Pregnancy Strategy
Lead member: Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health
Lead director: Andrew Scott-Clark
Department: Social Care, Health & Wellbeing
Contact: Colin Thompson, Consultant in Public Health 03000415099; Email: colin.thompson@kent.gov.uk, Jo Tonkin, KDAAT Young Persons Manager Email: jo.tonkin@kent.gov.uk Tel: 01622 221676.
Consultees
The proposed strategy was previously discussed by the Children’s Social Care and Health Cabinet Committee at its meeting of23 September 2014, which resolved that:
a) the decision proposed to be taken by the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Public Health, to approve the teenage pregnancy strategy, be endorsed;
b) the work of the County Council’s Select Committee on PSHE be reviewed and its recommendations built into the new teenage pregnancy strategy;
The strategy was
reviewed and adjusted in light of these comments and was
considered by the Cabinet Committee
again at its meeting of 8 September 2015, when the proposed
decision was endorsed and an update on progress in addressing the
rate of teenage pregnancy be made to the committee in one
year’s time.
Other consultation:
This strategy has been
produced in partnership with the many stakeholders from across Kent
and organisations directly involved with supporting young
people.
An earlier draft of the strategy was open for formal consultation via the Kent County Council website from July - September 2014. A number of updates to the strategy have been made following feedback received.
Financial implications: Colin Thompson Consultant in Public Health colin.thompson@kent.gov.uk 0300-041-5099
Legal implications: 14/00108