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Opinion: Debate - Is the teenage pregnancy strategy failing todeliver?

1 min read
The latest Government figures for teenage pregnancies in England show that the rate of pregnancies barely changed between 2004 and 2005.

But supporters of the strategy say successes in some local areas provethe strategy works.

YES - Annette Brooke MP, Liberal Democrat children and familiesspokeswoman

The Government is still failing our young people. Figures for recentyears show little improvement and even a rise in the number of under-16sbecoming pregnant. Current provision of personal, social and healtheducation is failing to equip young people to make healthy decisionsabout their lives.

If we are to offer young people better opportunities in life, sex andrelationships, education must be made a compulsory part of the NationalCurriculum.

NO - Paul Ward, deputy chief executive, Terrence Higgins Trust

Although it is disappointing that the change in teenage pregnancies isnot as great as we hoped, good progress has been made. There has been areduction in under-18s and under-16s conceiving. We also know more aboutwhat is important in reducing rates including measures in localauthorities and primary care trusts. It is a mistake to just look at oneyear's performance. However, there is still some way to go to meet thetarget of halving teenage pregnancies by 2010.

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