Departments
Teenage Pregnancy
Each year, there are over 200 births to teenage mothers in the Southern Board area. Although some older teenagers may choose to become pregnant, the majority do not. Many of these young people will adapt well to the role of parenthood and have healthy, happy children. However, for too many, unplanned teenage pregnancy and early motherhood can result in poor educational achievement, poor physical and mental health, social isolation and poverty.
The reasons for teenage pregnancy are complex, but young people who take risks with their sexual health are also more likely to take risks in other ways: such as with alcohol or drugs. To reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy we must focus on raising the expectations of all young people and preparing them with the knowledge, self-esteem and skills to manage their relationships.
The Southern Area Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood Consortium was established by the Board in June 2003 in direct response to the publication of the government’s Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood Strategy and Action Plan.
The purpose of the Consortium is to adopt a partnership approach to implement the actions of the strategy locally and to support members to take forward relatedinitiatives within their own organisations. The organisations involved in the Consortium include:
- Southern Health and Social Services Board
- Southern Education and Library Board
- SELB Youth and Education Welfare
- Northern Ireland Housing Executive
- LismoreComprehensive School
- Health and Social Services Trusts
- Southern Investing for Health Partnership
- Southern Area Health Promotion Department
- Love for Life
- Parents' Advice Centre
- Primary Care
The mission statement of the Consortium is:
“To work towards the provision of high quality, evidence based, appropriate, consistent and effective information, support and service, to promote and improve and sexual health of all young people and the overall health and well-being of teenage parents and their children within the Southern Area”
Progress so far
To date, Consortium members have been involved in, and led a number of initiatives across the Board’s are. Some of these are outlined below:
- A desktop directory of sexual health services for young people was developed and widely distributed across the Southern Board area, including to all GP practices.
- Training was provided for primary care staff on sexual health issues and dealing with teenage pregnancy at a SALT (Southern Area Learning Together) event in May 2005. A number of GP practices were also supported to host health and wellbeing promotion evenings for teenagers in their practice.
- A Youth Health and Wellbeing Forum has been established to engage with young people from local schools on how to improve their health and wellbeing. This is a joint venture supported by the Southern Health and Social Services Board and the Southern Education and Library Board. The first of these events took place in March 2006 with over 200 teenagers attending the 3 activity based workshops. Follow-up events are being planned for the autumn. Any schools who have not yet signed up and would like to get involved should contact MrsRosemary McAnerneyat the Southern Area Health Promotion Department (Tel. 028 3741 2424).
- A mapping exercise of sexual health related services for young people in the Southern Board area has been carried out. Work is ongoing with young people in the Armagh & Dungannon area, where a gap in service provision was identified, to explore how their needs can best be met.
- A sexual health text messaging service for young people is being piloted at Upper Bann Institute. This provides sign-posting to local services and sources of further information and advice. The name of the service, ‘Sexfactor’, and promotional resources were developed by the students. Further information on ‘Sexfactor’ is available from Ms Lyndsey McCann, Sexual Health Advisor, Southern Area Health Promotion Dept (Tel. 028 3741 2424)
- A sexual health training needs analysis of professionals who work with young people has been undertaken by the University of Ulster. This is a cross-sectoral initiative and has included staff from health and social services, education and the youth sector. The findings will inform planning for future training provision in the area.
- An extensive piece of research has also been undertaken on the provision of relationships and sexuality education for young people in the Southern Area.
Further information
Statistical data on teenage pregnancies in the Southern Board area is available in the Facts and Figures Bulletin, December 2005.
Information and advice on teenage pregnancy and sexual health is available on the coolsexinfo website
Advice for parents on how to talk to their children and teenagers about relationships and sexuality can be found in the Safe Parenting Handbook