WIREDGOV

Figures published today by the Office of National Statistics show a fall in teenage conception rates in 1999. The statistics show:

a 7 per cent drop in conceptions among under 16s in 1999 a 4 per cent drop in conceptions among under 18s in 1999

Responding to the figures, the Minister for Public Health, Yvette Cooper said:

''These figures are encouraging and suggest that we may be starting to see a reduction in teenage pregnancies.

''However, teenage pregnancies remain far too high. That is why we have begun a nationwide strategy to tackle teenage pregnancies and why we are introducing further measures this year to bring teenage pregnancy rates down.

''It is vital that the strategy is as much about teenage boys as well as teenage girls - after all, they are half the problem and half the solution too.''

The Government will shortly be launching a new initiative to involve teenagers themselves in new campaigns and advice services to prevent teenage pregnancies. Ministers have been impressed by programmes where teenagers themselves have designed campaigns and local advice for other teenagers to prevent teenage pregnancies. The Government will be publishing national guidance on programmes such as peer mentoring and strategies to involve teenagers - both boys and girls - in local projects.

The percentage of teenage parents in education, training or employment has increased from 16% in 1997 to 31% in 2000 and the proportion of teenage mothers who receive child support from fathers has increased from 15% to 28%.

Initiatives already launched as part of the Government''s Teenage Pregnancy strategy include:

a national campaign to target young people, including young men, with key prevention messages;the national media campaign got underway in October 2000 with adverts in teenage magazines and on local radio.

better prevention through improved sex and relationship education; new guidance for schools on sex and relationship education was issued in July 2000.

since March 2000, there is a teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for every social services authority area in England, supported by 8 regional co-ordinators. Local work includes providing teenagers with information and support on the risk of teenage pregnancy, handling peer pressure and relationshiops, information on contraception and advice and support for pregnant teenagers.

#4.2million was invested from the Local Implementation Fund in 1999-00, #7.5million in 2000-01.

15 Sure Start Plus pilots will shortly be operational, providing better support for pregnant teenagers and teenage parents;

DfEE is investing #10million between 2000-01 and 2001-02 to help reintegrate school age mothers back into education and is running 5 child care pilots to increase educational participation of 16 to 18 year old parents

guidance was issued in 1999 to Child Support Agency staff on the priority to be given to child support payments to teenage mothers, and the percentage of teenage mothers receiving child support has since almost doubled from 15% to 28%.

Notes for Editors

The Social Exclusion Unit''s report on Teenage Pregnancy was launched by the Prime Minister in June 1999. This sets out a 30-point action plan which is managed by the Government''s Teenage Pregnancy Unit, based at the Department of Health. It has two main goals:

- to halve the rate of conceptions among under 18s in England by 2010, and set a firmly established downward trend in the conception rates for under 16s by 2010;

- to achieve a reduction in the risk of long-term social exclusion for teenage parents and their children, by getting more teenage parents into education, employment or training.

Examples of local projects delivered by the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy:

Looked After Young People Project, Croydon:

Local teenagers met once a week for 15 weeks to share their views on teenage pregnancy prevention and support. Their ideas informed the planning of the project. The group consulted other young people about the issues and following on from the consultation, the core group produced a report for service providers. This was presented to key social services and health managers at a launch event. These managers have been asked to provide a detailed response to the recommendations, which will be incorporated into the local teenage pregnancy strategy.

Jigsaw Centre, Doncaster Offers young people aged 15-25 advice and support including counselling, pregnancy testing, referral to youth clinics and GPs, access to computers, and has a peer education project which employs young people through the New Deal.