Family Planning Association Reacts To Rise In Teenage Pregnancy Rates And Releases Results Of Parents' Survey Into Teenage Pregnancy, UK

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Abortion
Article Date: 27 Feb 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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Reacting to the rise in teenage pregnancies released today, Julie Bentley, Chief Executive, fpa said:

"Given that we've had such a downward trend it's disappointing to see any rise. However, thousands of young women and men who may have become teenage parents haven't because of the work of the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. It's therefore important that the Strategy continues.

"Teenage pregnancy is extremely complicated. There's never a 'quick-fix' but this does show how important it is to get statutory Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) into schools quickly[1]. In our survey, parents told us the most important thing the Government can do to bring down teenage pregnancy is to have better SRE as well."

fpa conducted a small snapshot survey[2] to gauge the views of parents on its Speakeasy[3] programme.

Parents came out strongly against abstinence as a strategy. Almost all of parents (93%) answered 'No' to the question that 'telling teenagers under the age of 18 to 'don't have sex' is enough to stop teenage pregnancy'.

Ranked in order of preference of what the Government can do to bring down teenage pregnancy, parents said:

1. Better sex and relationships education
2. Giving young people more ambition
3. More information for young people about sexual health
4. Lifting young people out of poverty

Recognising their own role in the issue, 62% said that parents across the UK can do more to bring down the number of teenage pregnancies.

The same number (62%) worried about their own children becoming teenage parents.

Commenting on the rise in the under-16s Julie said:

"To tackle this issue, we need to work with young people to help them understand that sexual activity isn't just a physical act. It needs a level of emotional maturity and personal responsibility. There are also other consequences like unplanned pregnancy. This is why it's important that the minority of under-16s who are choosing to be sexually active, are using contraception and sexual health services."

fpa (Family Planning Association) is the only registered charity working to improve the sexual health and reproductive rights of all people throughout the UK.

[1] Jim Knight announced on 23 October 2008 that Sex and Relationships Education would become a compulsory part of the curriculum following the Review of Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) in Schools to make PSHE a compulsory part of the curriculum from Key Stages 1 to 4.

[2] fpa surveyed 74 parents at random locations across the country who were attending Speakeasy courses run by their local authority, Primary Care Trust or fpa. Parents self-completed the survey during the week of the 16 - 20 February 2009. [3] Speakeasy is an accredited 8 week programme run by fpa which gives parents and carers the skills and information to talk with their children about sex and relationships. As well as running courses directly for parents, fpa trains up local professionals to run courses for parents in their area. Speakeasy runs across the UK and is often targeted in areas of high teenage pregnancy.

Family Planning Association