POLICY & PRACTICE: Policy into practice - A broader strategy will reduce teen pregnancy

Teenage mothers are more likely to be out of school, young offenders, in or leaving care, or homeless, so it is very hard to reach them with information and advice. Work in the Netherlands has shown pregnancy can be reduced if agencies in different sectors co-ordinate their approaches to sex education and contraceptive provision. By linking up schools and community centres with sexual health services we can close the gap between health and education, improve links between specialist services and help ensure the most vulnerable young people are reached.

There also needs to be a multi-faceted approach to intervention. While traditional sex education might work for most teenagers, the minority who face an increased risk of pregnancy require a broader approach. Anne Weyman OBE, the chief executive of fpa (formerly the Family Planning Association), points out: "We can't continue to look to sex education in schools as the only answer. No one intervention can work alone but needs to operate with programmes that tackle a range of issues, from contraception access to communication skills in relationships."