Herefordshire's teen birth rate falls (From Hereford Times)

Herefordshire's teen birth rate falls

7:00am Wednesday 17th March 2010 in

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THE number of teenagers falling pregnant in Herefordshire is dropping.

Figures just released show 106 girls under the age of 18 became pregnant in 2008, compared to 138 the year before.

Herefordshire Council and NHS Herefordshire say they have been working hard with parents to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and to offer support to young parents.

In south Hereford, an area with a high percentage of teenage pregnancies, a community development approach is being considered and discussions are taking place with local women about how their needs can be supported.

Parents are being helped through a variety of programmes, including the Young Mums To Be project, which helps mothers and fathers to understand pregnancy, birth and parenting.

A Family Planning Association course has also been running across Herefordshire for two years, helping parents and carers to communicate better with their children about sex and relationships.

In terms of prevention and in preparation for sex and relationships education becoming compulsory in schools next year, reviews and audits have been carried out to make sure plans are in place to deliver the new curriculum.

The national support team for teenage pregnancy is expected to visit the county in May to assess local initiatives such as the condom scheme and to assist in the development of an action plan to improve performance.