Teenage pregnancy services at risk as funding is diverted

Gill Frances, chair of the teenage pregnancy independent advisory group (TPIAG), told CYP Now a lack of national leadership on the issue is jeopardising valuable work amid uncertainty over the future direction of teenage pregnancy policy.

The work of TPIAG is due to conclude next month but the government is yet to set out its long-term vision for tackling the issue.

Frances said she is aware of a number of authorities that are preparing to pull the plug on funding for teenage pregnancy services, although in many cases final decisions are yet to be rubber-stamped.

"The major concern is people are already disinvesting in local teenage pregnancy services," she said.

"I am hearing of authorities cutting the whole of their teenage pregnancy work. Some areas no longer have a teenage pregnancy co-ordinator."

"My great concern is that without clear leadership and clear prioritisation of teenage pregnancy people won’t think to continue with teenage pregnancy work at a local level."

Cuts to budgets will lead to increases in teenage pregnancy rates, she added.

"We know that in areas that have implemented the teenage pregnancy strategy, rates have come down," she said.

"In areas that don’t implement it properly rates don’t come down and in some cases they become higher.

"If people take their eye off the ball their teenage pregnancy rates will go up."