County Durham Local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy - Full Document

County Durham Local Teenage 

Pregnancy Strategy 

2. Acronyms 

3. Executive Summary 

5. Background & Information 

Contents Page 

7. Part A, Section 1 

8. Strategic Vision 

8. Principles and Values 

9. Joined Up Action and Structures 

14. Consultation and Involvement of other Stakeholders 

15. Links to other Policies 

16. Strategy Goals 


18. Local Context 

22. Local Profile of Teenage Pregnancy, including Audit of 

Current Service Provision 


41. Local Media Campaign 

51. Better Sex & Relationships Education (SRE) 

65. Better Contraception and Advice Services 

89. Better Support for Teenage Parents 

103. Consultation with Young People 

107. Part B 

Annual Report, March 2000/2001 

111. Part C 

Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation Fund 

113. Part D 

Certificate of Agreement and Partnership 

115. Conclusion 

1

Acronyms 

SEU Social Exclusion Unit 

SRE Sex & Relationships Education 

SHPS Specialist Health Promotion Service 

DFEE Department for Education & Employment 

SSD Social Services Department 

PSHE Personal, Social & Health Education 

PCGs Primary Care Groups 

2

Executive Summary 

• Britain has the highest rate of teenage births in Western Europe. In 

1998 there were around 41,000 conceptions to under 18s in England, 

resulting in 23,600 live births. 

• In June 1999 the Government produced a National Teenage Pregnancy 

Report with two main goals: 

- To halve the rate of conceptions among under 18 year olds in 

England by 2010 and to set a downward trend in conception 

rates for under 16s. 

- To reduce long term social exclusion for teenage pregnancy 

and their children. 

• Guidance from the Teenage Pregnancy Unit stated that ten year 

strategies (to include three year action plans) should be produced at 

local authority level. The strategies must be coterminous with education 

and local authority boundaries. In County Durham and Darlington this 

has been structured thus: 

Two strategies have been developed. One strategy for County Durham 

and one strategy for Darlington. 

• The strategies are consistent with the following principles and values as 

detailed in the Teenage Pregnancy Guidance: 

- Young people centred 

- Partnership working 

- Long term and sustainable 

- Addressing inequalities 

- Evidence based practice. 

• To secure partnership working a county wide Steering Group and sub 

groups were established for County Durham and Darlington, with 

representatives from Health, Education, Social Services and the 

Voluntary Sector. 

• The groups established current provision of service and developed 

action plans which would aim to: 

- Achieve the target 55% reduction in the under 18 conception 

rate by 2010 (the target set for County Durham and Darlington 

by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit) and achieve a downward 

trend in conceptions in under 16s. 

- Better Support Teenage Parents to lead active, fulfilled lives 

as valued citizens. 

3

• Particular efforts have been made to consult with young people and with 

stakeholders. Comments from the consultation stage have been 

incorporated into the strategy. 

• County Durham and Darlington have an indicative annual allocation of 

£250,000 for the next three years from the Teenage Pregnancy Unit 

(TPU) Local Implementation Fund to support implementation of the local 

action plans. It is expected by the TPU that initiatives will be mainstream 

funded after that. 

4

Background and Information 

Within Western Europe, the UK now stands out as having the highest rate of 

teenage births. The UK has teenage birth rates which are twice as high as in 

Germany, three times as high as in France and six times as high as in the 

Netherlands. 1 

In June 1999, the Government produced a national teenage pregnancy strategy 

with two goals: 

• To halve the rate of conceptions among under 18 year olds in 

England by 2010, and set firmly established downward trend in the 

conception rates for under 16s by 2010. 

• To achieve a reduction in the risk of long term social exclusion for 

teenage parents and their children. 2 

The Teenage Pregnancy Unit published a document entitled Guidance on 

Developing a Local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. The guidance stated that 

local strategies must be produced to tackle teenage pregnancy and that those 

strategies must be coterminous with local authority and social services 

boundaries. County Durham and Darlington each needed its own strategy. 

The guidance stated that each document must contain a ten year strategy and 

a three year action plan to include detailed proposals and actions. 

5 

1. Social Exclusion Unit (1999) 

2. Teenage Pregnancy Unit 

The Teenage Pregnancy Unit has stated that the Health Authority and Local 

(Social Services/Education) Authorities have joint responsibility for the 

development and implementation of the local strategy. It states that there 

should be joined up action between Health, Education, Social Services and 

Voluntary Agencies and that there should be consultation with key 

stakeholders, particularly young people. The joined up action should be based 

on Better Prevention to include: 

• Better Sex and Relationships Education 

• Better Information, Advice and Contraceptive Services 

• Better support for Teenage Parents 

• The production of a Local Media Strategy. 

A countywide steering group was established with representatives from the 

Health Authority, Local Authorities of County Durham and Darlington, and 

Voluntary Agencies. It was agreed that young people would be consulted when 

the draft strategy was completed. In addition, key stakeholders including young 

people, parents and at risk groups, will be consulted during the implementation 

process.

The strategic goals for County Durham and Darlington are: 

• To achieve a 55% reduction in the under 18s conception rate by 

2010, and to achieve a 10% reduction in that rate by 2004. 

• To establish a downward trend in the under 16s conception rate. 

• To achieve a reduction in the risk of long term social exclusion for 

teenage parents and their children. 

The Teenage Pregnancy Unit Local Implementation Fund is intended to kick 

start initiatives over the next three years. After that, work aiming to reduce 

teenage pregnancy rates and to support teenage parents must be mainstream 

funded. 

6

PART A 

SECTION 1 

7

Strategic Vision 

The countywide steering group for County Durham and Darlington, including 

representatives from Health, Education, Social Services and the Voluntary 

Sector, provided the strategic vision during the working meeting in September 

2000. 

Our strategic vision is to create an environment in which children and young 

people are confident, comfortable and in control of their sexual lives. Part of 

this environment will include improved opportunities for all young people. We 

will work to enable them to make the best possible choices for their current 

circumstances, and see beyond where they are now to where they could be. 

Within this context of raised aspirations and self-esteem, service will support 

and enable young people to make informed health and life decisions. Together 

these environmental and individual approaches will contribute to bringing about 

a reduction in the number of unplanned pregnancies. 

Principles and Values 

The work of the steering group has been to develop a strategy to tackle 

teenage pregnancies in line with the principles already signed up to by all 

agencies in County Durham and Darlington, through Investing in Children. We 

also endorse the principles of the Teenage Pregnancy Unit and the links 

between the two sets of principles and values are clearly stated below. 

Investing in Children 

The aim is to work in partnership with children and young people to promote 

their best interests and enhance their quality of life. We will achieve this by: 

Consulting with children, young people and their families about decisions 

affecting their lives and the development of services. 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Young People Centred 

We fully recognise that the involvement of young people is crucial to the 

successful planning and implementation of this strategy. 

Promoting partnerships between individuals and agencies to address young 

peoples issues. 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Partnership Working 

We fully acknowledge the need for the involvement of a wide range of 

stakeholders and the need to work together whilst respecting different 

approaches and beliefs. Our partnership working is demonstrated in the 

membership of the steering group and sub-groups. (See Joined Up Action) 

8

Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Long Term and Sustained 

We will review the progress made towards meeting the action plan goals using 

the steering group and sub-groups. We will aim to review progress quarterly by 

asking representatives from the lead agencies to report to the group actions 

achieved*. In this way we will seek continued commitment from all agencies 

and we will review progress made towards reducing teenage pregnancy in 

high-risk areas. 

* Projects/initiatives, which have been judged to be successful, will be brought 

into mainstream funding. 

Developing accessible children, young people and family centred services that 

promote dignity and independence and which do not discriminate or stigmatise. 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Addressing Inequalities 

To ensure that the strategy and action plans meet set targets, high-risk areas 

within County Durham and Darlington must be identified. Information is being, 

and will continue to be, obtained through a number of data sources. 

We have adopted an ‘across the county’ approach in the allocation of the Local 

Implementation Fund. 

Ensuring that when making decisions on policies and services, consideration is 

given to their potential impact on the lives of children and young people. 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Evidence Based 

Research, which is vast in both its variety and amount informed the Teenage 

Pregnancy Report (1999) 3 . The strategy and local action plans will take 

account of this and other evidence. New evidence will also be used as it is 

published on the teenage pregnancy website and in journals. We will aim to 

strengthen links with local universities to enable evaluation of our own practice. 

3 – Social Exclusion Unit 

Joined Up Action 

Structure 

The County Durham and Darlington wide tackling Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator 

is funded by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit and is employed by the 

Health Authority. The Co-ordinator is based at Dales PCG. (The Regional Coordinator, 

Anne Graney has agreed that there should be a co-ordinator based 

in Darlington as the strategies are co-terminous with local authority 

boundaries.) The co-ordinator has been guided and supported by lead 

contacts from both local authorities (County Durham and Darlington) as 

members of the County Wide Steering Group or as members of the Darlington 

Group or the County Sub-groups. Two strategies must be submitted, one for 

County Durham and one for Darlington. 

9

Structure 

Two strategies must be coterminous with local authority boundaries: 

County Durham Darlington 

10-Year Strategy 10-Year Strategy 

3-Year Local Action 

Plan 

Joined Up Working 

County Durham and Darlington Steering Group 

Post Service / Organisation 

Service Development Manager Darlington Social Services 

Bishop Auckland Member Community Health Council 

Head of Midwifery / Senior Midwife South Durham Health Care NHS 

Trust 

Project Manager Investing in Children 

Project Manager End House, Durham Young Peoples 

Centre 

Specialist Health Promotion Manager Derwentside PCG / Durham & 

Chester-le-Street PCG 

Specialist Health Promotion Manager Dales PCG and Darlington PCG 

Specialist Health Promotion Manager Easington PCG and Sedgefield PCG 

Service Manager Learning Support Services, County 

Durham 

Senior Worker Community Education, County 


Senior Nurse Paediatrics South Durham Health Care NHS 

Trust 

Health Promotion Strategist Lead Health Authority 

Consultant in Reproductive Medicine South Durham Health Care NHS 

and Family Planning 

Trust 

Assistant Chief Executive Derwentside PCG 

Children’s Services Manager Durham Social Services 

Chair Association of School Governors 

Professor of Sociology 

University of Durham 

10 

3-Year Local Action 

Plan

Head of Service Connexions, County Durham Careers 

Service 

GP Darlington 

Women’s Service Manager North Durham Health Care NHS Trust 

County Sure Start Co-ordinator Education Department, County 

Tackling Teenage Pregnancy 

Co-ordinator 

11 


County Durham and Darlington 

Health Authority 

The sub groups were established to ensure that both strategies/action plans 

were fully informed of local issues and to enable each part of the strategy to 

be planned in detail. The sub groups considered the following issues: 

• Better prevention 

• Better sex and relationship education 

• Better contraception and advice services 

• Better support for teenage parents. 


Membership of Darlington Groups 

Membership of the group demonstrates joined up working. 

Better Contraception and Advice Services 

Post 

School Doctor and Consultant in 

M.O.and Family Planning 

Consultant in Reproductive Medicine 

and Family Planning 

Health Promotion Manager 


Co-ordinator 

Service/Organisation 

South Durham Health Care NHS Trust 


Darlington PCG 

County Durham and Darlington Health 

Authority 

GP Seconded to the PCG Board for young 

people’s issues

Better Sex and Relationship Education 

Post 

Manager 

Team leader 

Secondary Education Advisor 

Head of Pupil Support Services 

Assistant Director of Education 

Development Manager 

1 Residential Social Work Manager 

2 x Senior Residential Social Workers 

Head of Service 

Project Manager 

Manager 


Co-ordinator 

Better Support for Teenage Parents 

Post 

Service Development Manager 

Manager 


Early Years Partnership 


Community Midwife 

Health Visitor 

Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator 


12 


Community Education Service 

School Nurses, South Durham Health 

Care NHS Trust 

Education Department 



Social Services 



Home and Hospital Teaching Service 

NCH Tubwell Project 

Youth Offending Team 


Authority 


Membership of County Durham Sub-groups 

Better Contraception, Advice and Information Services 

Post 

Specialist Health Promotion Manager 



Consultant in Reproductive Medicine & 

Family Services 

GP 


Housing Association – Stonham 

NCH - Tubwell Project 






Authority 


Darlington/Dales PCGs 

Derwentside/Durham & Chester-le- 

Street PCGs 

Easington/Sedgefield PCGs Project 


Seconded to PCG

School Nurse Manager 

Women’s Services Manager 


Head of Child Health Services 

Better Sex and Relationships Education 

Post 


Education Advisor/Inspector 

Chair 

Manager – Connexions 

Manager – School Nursing 

Healthy Schools Co-ordinator 

Manager and Senior Worker 

Head Teacher 

Sexual Health Trainer 


Better Support 

Post 

Better Service 

Health Visitor 

Development Manager 


Co-ordinator 

Regeneration Officer 

Manager 

Children’s Services Manager 

Community Nurse 

Children’s Services Manager 

Women’s Services 

Senior Midwife 

Sure Start Co-ordinator 


13 


North Durham Health Care NHS Trust 

End House 



Learning Support Service 


Association of School Governors 

Connexions/Community Education 


Health Promotion/Health Authority 

Community Education 

Representative of Head Teachers 

Association 



Authority 


Connexions/Co Durham Carers 

Service 


Darlington Social Services 


Darlington 



County Durham Education 

Housing Association 

Durham Social Services 





Darlington, Sure Start 


Authority 

The Darlington groups and the County Durham sub-groups met to discuss the 

process of strategy development. In each case it was felt that a half-day 

working session was the most appropriate way of devising a ten year strategy 

and three year action plans. Key tasks and a lead agency or agencies were 

identified and timescales were set for delivery of the action.

The Steering group and sub-groups will continue to meet quarterly to assess 

progress made towards the actions identified in the three year action plan. 

Consultation and Involvement of other 

Stakeholders 

After extensive debate with key representatives from young people’s 

advocacy services, it was decided not to invite young people to the steering or 

sub-groups, it was felt that they may not feel able to express themselves fully 

and honestly in such a forum. For that reason young peoples groups are 

being sent the draft strategy and are being asked to comment on it at their 

leisure. The writer particularly asked about readability as well as the plans. 

Young people were asked to comment on how appropriate the actions are 

and on how they would like to see local services improved, and the local 

media campaign move forward. Young people were contacted through 

agencies/groups including: 

Investing in Children, End House Young Peoples Centre. 

As actions are planned in more detail and implemented, young people will be 

consulted again before plans are actioned. Focus groups will be used both to 

consult and to evaluate projects. 

The draft strategy was sent to all members of the Steering group, Darlington 

Groups and the County Sub-groups for consultation. In addition, Chief 

Executives of the Health Authority and all Primary Care Group Chairs and 

Chief Executives were asked to comment. Local Further Education Colleges 

were involved in the consultation process. The feedback will be incorporated 

into the final version of the strategy to be submitted to the Teenage 

Pregnancy Unit. 

After consultation with stakeholders the strategy and action plans were 

revised to incorporate their views. 

14

Links to other Policies 

The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy links with a range of other policies and strategies: 

Local 

Housing 

Strategies 

PCG Action 

Plans 

Sexual Health 

Strategy 

Connexions 


Health 

Improvement 

Programmes 

Education 

Development & 

Education 

Support Plans 

NHS 

National 

Plan 

Teenage 

Pregnancy 


Mental 

Health 

NSF 

Neighbour 

-hood 

Renewal 

15 

Healthy 

Schools 

Policy 

Quality 

Projects 

Children’s 

Services 

Plan 

Key 

Sure Start 

Strong Links 

Less Strong Links

Strategy Goals 

Each part of the strategy details a specific strategic goal or vision, but broadly we aim to achieve in ten years time: 

• The target reduction of 55% in the under 18s conception rate, including working towards a 10% reduction in the rate by 2004. 

• Establish a downward trend in the under 16s conception rate. 

• Better advice, information and contraception services which are accessible and used by young people. 

• Better sex and relationship education in schools, but also in residential care settings, youth offending services, 

community/youth education and the voluntary sector agencies. 

• Improve the self esteem and confidence of young people through various community wide activities, such as the Healthy 

Schools Award, Better Sex and Relationships Education and through the Personal, Social and Health Education Programme. 

• Better support for teenage parents, in terms of services available, including housing. 

• Continue to develop the links between Health, Education, Social Services and the Voluntary Sector. 

• Develop an on-going consultation with young people and other key stakeholders as the strategy action plans are reviewed and 

revised over time. 

• Further develop data collection systems to measure the impact of action plans. 

• The reduction of Social Exclusion of young people in County Durham is a priority. 

16

PART A 

SECTION 2 

17

Local Context 

Main Findings from Local Analysis, March 2000, including 

Demographic Information 

County Durham and Darlington Health Authority covers a wide range of living 

conditions and economic circumstances. The west part is mainly rural, with 

population densities in Weardale and Teesdale being among the lowest nationally. 

Estimates of the resident population in mid –2000 for the Primary Care Group areas 

are as follows: 

Darlington 99,900 

Sedgefield 89,900 

The Dales, Including Weardale and Teesdale 87,400 

Derwentside 86,000 

Durham and Chester-le-Street 146,900 

Easington 95,900 

County Durham and Darlington have relatively small ethnic minority populations 

however each ethnic group is represented in the county. Details of residents by 

ethnic group are detailed below. ( Boundaries of Local Authorities (LAs) are as at 

April 1998.) 

LAs White Carib 

bean 

Afric 

an 

Black 

Other 

Indian Pakis 

tani 

18 

Bangl 

adeshi 

Asian 

Other 

Darlingtn 98.5 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.5 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.2 

Chester-le- 

Street 

99.3 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.1 

Derwentside 99.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 

Durham 98.9 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.3 0.2 0.2 

Easington 99.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 

Sedgefield 99.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 

Teesdale 99.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 

Wear Valley 99.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.1 

Chin 

ese 

Other 

With the downturn in the farming sector, rural deprivation is a real issue in these 

areas. At the same time areas in the east and north of the Health Authority have 

traditionally relied on heavy industry such as coal mining and steel making, which 

have now ceased, again leaving considerable pockets of social deprivation, despite 

vigorous and partially successful efforts to attract inward investment. Durham City 

has the benefit of the University, and tourist attractions which enhance the local 

economy. Darlington Borough Council has Unitary status, is situated on the fringe of 

Teesside, and has more diverse sources of employment than most parts of County 

Durham and Darlington Health Authority.

The latest measure of deprivation, the DETR Index of Multiple Deprivation 2000 

(IMD2000), is a ward level index, based on the premise that multiple deprivation is 

made up of separate dimensions or domains of deprivation. The domains are: 

Income, Employment, Health Deprivation & Disability, Education Skills & Training, 

Geographical Access to Services and Housing. Of the 177 wards in County Durham 

and Darlington: 

• Two wards are ranked in the 100 most deprived wards in England, (Eden Hill 

and Deneside). 

• 110 wards (62%) are in the top 25% most deprived wards in England. 

IMD Rankings for the Most Deprived Wards in each Primary Care Group Area. 

Most 

deprived 

ward 

The Dales Woodhouse 

Close (119) 

Darlington Central 

(290) 

Derwentside South 

Stanley 

Durham & 

Chester-le- 

Street 

(160) 

Easington Eden Hill 

(21) 

2 nd most 

deprived 

ward 

St Helens 

(185) 

Eastbourne 

South (359) 

Craghead 

(214) 

Pelaw (332) Chester 

West (690) 

Deneside 

(53) 

Sedgefield West (372) Thickley 

(382) 

Co. Durham 

& Darlington 

Eden Hill 

(21) 

Deneside 

(53) 

19 

3 rd most 

deprived 

ward 

Coundon 

(396) 

Cockerton 

West (519) 

Consett 

(314) 

New 

Brancepeth 

(789) 

Dawdon 

(162) 

Cornforth 

(405) 

Woodhouse 

Close (119) 

4 th most 

deprived 

ward 

Henknowle 

(409) 

Eastbourne 

North (559) 

South Moor 

(531) 

Shadforth 

(807) 

Shotton 

(165) 

Old 

Trimdon 

(514) 

South 

Stanley 

(160) 

5 th most 

deprived 

ward 

Stanley 

(511) 

Park East 

(637) 

Catchgate 

(597) 

Grange 

Villa (883) 

Easington 

Colliery 

(176) 

Sunnydale 

(820) 

Dawdon 

(162) 

This is the setting in which two Local Government Districts within the Health 

Authority have rates of teenage pregnancy in the highest ten in England. The link is 

an environment in which young people’s personal aspirations and goals, may be 

limited by what seem to them poor opportunities and prospects for their communities 

as a whole. The challenge this represents is partially addressed in this report in 

terms of service provision, but of course ties in to the much larger strategy for 

economic regeneration. The apparent clusters of high rates at a ward level do not so 

far as our understanding at this stage goes tie in with areas for which these problems 

are especially marked. This raises the question of the extent to which our action plan 

should be targeted to areas with apparently high rates, which may fluctuate 

considerably, versus maintaining a focus on improving services overall. There are 

also geographical issues in terms of service delivery, particularly to teenage parents 

under 16, where issues of access include physical distance and costs of transport.

The development work that resulted in report of March 2000 and in this report, has 

identified a number of strengths for County Durham and Darlington Health Authority 

and our partner agencies. The first is the considerable depth and range of goodwill, 

concern and willingness to act to address the issue of teenage pregnancy. 

There are also some examples of excellent practice. End House in Durham City is 

one of these in the provision of sexual health advice and contraceptive services to 

young people. The Before and After Group in Darlington is a second one, for its 

holistic approach to work with teenage mothers under 16. 

A third strength is the capacity to develop a Reference Group of young people, which 

is possible through the work of the Investing in Children initiative in County Durham, 

and the Peer Educators Group in Darlington. 

Finally, the location of Specialist Health Promotion Services, with a strategic lead 

responsible for co-ordinating this report, and services linked closely with the Primary 

Care Groups (PCGs), has enhanced our ability to network effectively, and move 

towards joined up service provision. 

The exercise in March 2000 together with this report identified a number of key areas 

for development. The first is the need to develop better baseline data in relation to 

service provision (particularly contraceptive service uptake, housing needs, 

curriculum coverage of sex and relationships education) and a better understanding 

of the distribution and cause of local clusters of teenage pregnancy in young women 

under 16. 

A linked need identified in March 2000 was for better co-ordination. This required an 

identified dedicated co-ordinator, whose job would involve communicating about 

service developments, ensuring a joined up approach, feeding research based 

practice into local developments, working with the media, encouraging effective local 

progress, monitoring against baseline data, addressing issues of equity, and linking 

local work with national developments. This post need support at a local (PCG) level, 

which was suggested in the form of Outreach Workers, based in the contraceptive 

services developed for young people, but with a link role with vulnerable groups as 

well as mainstream agencies working with young people. These posts would also act 

as direct entry points to services for young people who have used emergency 

contraception, who have just had a pregnancy confirmed, or who have had a baby 

but may not necessarily take up contraceptive services automatically. 

Two issues affecting the Local Education Authorities have emerged. One is that the 

devolution of their support role to schools makes it difficult for them to respond fully 

to central initiatives such as the improvement of sex and relationships education 

within PSHE. Secondly is that in terms of attendance at school, teenage pregnancy 

is a much more serious risk of social exclusion for girls, than is permanent exclusion 

for other reasons. Equitable provision for this group is therefore a major issue in 

service planning. 

20

Primary Care Groups have a crucial role in developing services to address the 

considerable estimated levels of unmet need for contraceptive services and sexual 

health advice for young people. This is through direct service provision, through 

developing appropriate services in partnership with Trusts including maximise the 

potential of school nurses, and the Voluntary Sector, and by streamlining the flow of 

information to the public about all aspects of sexual health services. 

In addressing the needs of teenage parents, there is a good service basis in terms of 

provision for under 16s. This needs to be built on to ensure the service is accessible 

to all who need it, and to address the needs of young parents aged 16-18. In doing 

this the importance of recognising the variety of circumstances and needs within the 

category ‘teenage parents’ is crucial. 

Finally, the role of the wider community is important if the underlying issues of open 

and direct communication about matters related to sexual health are to be 

addressed. Developmental work with parents is one part of this work. 

There is no doubt that the potential to both reduce teenage pregnancies and to 

promote the sexual health of our communities is there. 

We look forward to working locally and with others nationally to achieve an 

appropriate balance between specific targeted work, and an approach to young 

people as a whole. 

21

Local Profile of Teenage Pregnancy 

Incidence at Local Authority Level 

Table 1 below shows the summary profile of the conception rate for girls under 16 

within County Durham and Darlington. The rate for 1996 – 98 higher than the rate 

for England and Wales and it is higher than the rate for the Northern and Yorkshire 

Region. 

Analysis at the level of local authority is included. However, caution should be 

exercised in interpreting these figures as the numbers are small in any one year. 

That being said, both Wear Valley and Easington show the highest levels of 

conceptions in girls under 16. 

Table 1 

Conception rates for under 16s in 1996 – 1998 

(Rate per 1000 girls aged 13 – 15) 

Data for Local Authorities in County Durham and Darlington 

England and Wales 

England 

Northern & Yorkshire 

RO 

County Durham & 

Darlington 

Darlington UA 

Chester-le-Street 

Derwentside 


Easington 

Sedgefield 

Teesdale 

Wear Valley 

Number of 

conceptions 

25,566 

23,761 

3,757 

422 

60 

26 

44 

48 

103 

64 

9 

68 

22 

Ages

Table 2 

Conception Rates for under 18s 1996 – 1998 

(Rate per 1000 women aged 15-17) 

Data for Local Authorities in County Durham and Darlington 

England and Wales 

England 

Northern & Yorkshire 

RO 

County Durham & 

Darlington 

Darlington UA 


Derwentside 


Easington 

Sedgefield 

Teesdale 

Wear Valley 

Number of 

conceptions 

Clusters below Local Authority level 

130,909 

122,053 

18,424 

1,967 

352 

133 

274 

186 

419 

286 

51 

266 

23 

Ages

County Durham (but not Darlington) has been awarded Standards Fund monies to 

spend specifically on teenage pregnancy. Learning Support Service records were 

used to identify schools in County Durham within these or nearby wards. Funding 

for special projects aimed at reducing teenage conceptions has been directed to six 

schools in 2000/2001 an additional two schools will receive money in the financial 

year 2001/2002. 

The Steering Group will work with supporting agencies to identify the needs of 

teenagers of ethnic minority populations in relation to sex education and access to 

services. 

Table 3 demonstrates conception rates leading to maternities and abortions for girls 

aged under 18. Where figures show that the numbers of terminations are particularly 

low compared to maternities and conceptions, the possible reasons will be 

investigated. 

Table 3 

Under 18s Conceptions: numbers by Local Authority and outcome 

1995 – 1997 

Local Authority Leading to 

Maternities 


CD 

Darlington UA 

Derwentside CD 

Durham CD 

Easington CD 

Sedgefield CD 

Teesdale CD 

Wear Valley CD 

Conception Numbers Rate per 

1000 girls 

86 

218 

182 

116 

310 

193 

30 

163 

Leading to 

Abortions 

24 

51 

135 

80 

63 

104 

99 

23 

87 

Total 

Conceptions 

137 

353 

262 

179 

414 

292 

53 

250 

aged 15-17 

47.3 

63 

55.6 

34.6 

75.1 

56.6 

43.9 

73.3 

Total England 69,500 46,892 116,392 44.4 

Total England & 

Wales 

75,056 49,672 124,728 44.8

Priorities 

Priorities have been agreed by the Steering and sub groups as detailed in Part A, 

Section 1. Consultation with young people and other key stakeholders took place in 

March 2001. Comments from young people and key stakeholders have been 

incorporated into the strategy. 

Local Progress 

Local progress will be monitored quarterly by the Steering Group and sub groups. It 

will also be monitored by the Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator who will 

retain close links with all stakeholders and lead individuals/agencies named in the 

action plans. Monitoring arrangements will be considered/planned in more detail in 

the first quarterly meeting of the Steering and sub groups. 

County Durham 

Audit of Current Services and Gaps Identified 

This audit is taken from the document entitled ‘Tackling Teenage Pregnancy: a 

response from County Durham Health Authority, Darlington Borough Council and 

Durham County Council 3 rd March 2000’ 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit Report 

Summary of action plans: 

• Training and support for youth workers 

The Community Education Services in both County Durham and Darlington are 

currently looking into developing training and support for youth workers generally 

on this issue. For Durham Community Education Service a budget of £15,000 

(including on-costs) enabled the model of peripatetic support developed for drugs 

work to be extended to sexual health activities in the youth work setting. The 

Sexual Health Trainer was recruited funded from this money in November 2000. 

Encourage Youth and Community Workers to take up the Level 3 Sexual Health 

Programme accredited through the Tees and Region Open College Network. 

• Parents as Educators 

A worker has been employed for 12 months to carry out local action research and 

development work with parents to support the Department of Health campaign. 

The aim of the post is to clarify what would effectively support parents in their role 

as sex educators. 

Estimated costs including administrative support and on costs £27,000. 

25

• Outreach workers linking contraceptive services with vulnerable young 

people 

Sexual Health Outreach Workers have been appointed in four of the six PCG 

areas. Each area will have a worker in 2001/2002. Their task is to act as an 

advocate for young people in using the contraceptive care services, and to 

provide Outreach work particularly targeted to settings where young people are 

known to be at risk, including children in the looked after system, young 

offenders, young people outside mainstream education, young people who are 

homeless or with housing difficulties. A further group the Outreach Worker link 

with is teenage mothers as a first point of contact when pregnancy is confirmed if 

this is not already addressed by health and social services. Follow up could 

include encouraging them to access contraceptive services, which does not 

always happen despite their experiences. Where possible the Outreach worker 

would also link with generic schools and youth services, and would be an access 

point for teachers and school nurses encouraging young people to make use of 

the services for the first time. In addition the proposal for a protocol to ensure 

consistent follow up of young people using emergency contraception, would be 

enhanced by the ability to offer an appointment with the Outreach worker, or for 

the Outreach worker to directly contact the young person. 

• A Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator has been appointed for County 

Durham and Darlington. 

Action plans already underway or agreed (A) 

• Easington PCG 

Subgroup is working on contraceptive provision 

• Emergency contraception from Pharmacists 

This will take place in line with National Guidelines and over the counter 

availability will be based on patient group directions. 

• Sex Education Roadshow 

In Darlington teachers are included as part of the target audience for a ‘sex 

education roadshow’ training event within the next three to six months 

The resource boards have been purchased by Health Promotion Units in County 

Durham and are available through that service. 

• Standards Fund 2000-2001 Teenage Pregnancy Grant 19E (94,000) 

Activity Two – Proposals 

(see section 3.1 for Activity One Proposals) 

Funding has been developed in schools in ‘at risk’ areas in order to target 

vulnerable young people. An action research project involving a ‘menu’ of 

preventative approaches has been provided to enable individual schools to select 

suitable approaches linked to the Healthy Schools Initiative. A small amount of 

funding will be retained by the LEA to cover an external evaluation of both 

activities. 

26

The Grant will be managed by a team of LEA Officers, Health Promotion 

Specialists and school representatives. 

• Guidelines for Youth Workers 

In County Durham the guidelines for youth workers in relation to sex and 

relationships education are being updated, and a policy to back these up is 

nearly ready. The ten week accredited training programme on sexual health will 

be offered to youth workers across the County. In addition the National Youth 

Agency Sex and Relationships training pack which has recently been launched, 

will be piloted. 

• Sex education roadshows 

Local Levy funding via the Education and Training Consortium was used to run a 

Roadshow for youth workers across County Durham, to provide each of them 

with materials and training to run their own ‘sex education roadshow’. The same 

funding in Darlington was used for a Roadshow targeted to youth workers, 

teachers, health visitors, midwives and social workers working with young people, 

to train them as facilitators and provide materials to each run their own ‘sex 

education roadshow’ 

session. 

• Mobile Services 

The Mobile Youth Outreach Health Project in Chester-le-St is Joint Financed and 

will be starting a multi-disciplinary outreach service to local villages addressing 

sexual health issues as part of a holistic approach, using a vehicle donated by 

the Police. 

A further bid for Lottery Funding has been put in to enable provision of a second 

Youth Bus, for Darlington based on the success of the existing service. 

In other areas opportunities to develop mobile services building on the success of 

the Youth Bus model will be sought, particularly in Seaham/Peterlee linked with 

the Education Action Zones. 

• Negotiating skills development 

The Dales Healthy Living Centre bid includes a development from the Girls Talk 

project which aims to develop skills in negotiating with partners, peers and 

parents. 

• Sex Education Roadshow 

In Darlington a one off pilot “sex education roadshow” took place in March 2000 

offered to young people aged 13-16 in the Looked After System, and outside 

mainstream education. Funding was from the Local Levy via the Education and 

Training Consortium. The event was evaluated very favourably. 

• Education Action Zones 

Curriculum development work to raise aspirations (e.g. positive role models, 

mentors from industry), increase educational attainment, and enhance life skills 

are being developed in both Peterlee and Seaham Education Action Zones. 

Working together with the Careers Service to help increase the proportion of 

young people continuing in education and training post 16. 

27

• Parents as Educators training 

In Easington extend the Community based health groups for members 

specifically interested in sexual health. 

Healthy Living Centre proposal (The Dales) includes a two part programme for 

parents: ten orientation sessions with offered follow up on Talking to Teenagers, 

handling Teenage Behaviour, Sexual Behaviour, Drugs and Alcohol. The 

proposal is a partnership including South Durham Health Care, Specialist Health 

Promotion Services, Youth and Community, Wear Valley District Council. 

• Standards Fund 2000 – 2001 and 2001 – 2002 Teenage Pregnancy Grant 

County Durham has been awarded Standards Fund Grant. The fund has been 

used to help named schools in their work to reduce teenage pregnancy rates and 

a specialist reintegration officer has been appointed to work across the county 

and liaise with the existing education personnel working with school age mothers. 

The officer undertakes some co-ordination of information regarding preventative 

approaches and works closely with the Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator and the 

Sure Start Partnerships. Childcare costs are available if required to enable full 

attendance. 

• Education Action Zones 

The Peterlee Education Action Zone plans to include work with young parents as 

part of its programme. This could include for example work with a teenage mum, 

in preparing her child for his or her first SATS. It might involve work with a young 

dad using information technology. In either case the objective is to take a whole 

family approach, and enhance the parents overall communication and rapport 

with the child. This in turn will contribute to improved educational attainment, and 

quality of life for the family. 

• Sure Start projects include provision for teenage parents 

The issue of provision for children with teenage parents is being considered in 

the development of each of these projects, which will act as sources of innovation 

for development on a wider basis. 

• Launch of PSK2 workshops on sexual health for peer education on the 

March 2000, and then made available to secondary schools in Darlington. 

• Easington Young with a Baby Project 

Easington Teenage Parenthood Peer Education Project has been funded by the 

Easington Health Implementation Group. This is based on a previous project 

‘Young With A Baby’. 

• Young People’s Reference Group and Sexual Health 

Investing in Children will develop a group of young people interested in sexual 

health as an interest area, working with a consultant to help them access suitable 

material, resolve obstacles, and explore issues in a way relevant and useful to 

themselves. Over the period April to December 2000, the group was recruited, 

and based on an initial discussion of key issues relate to sexual health and 

contraceptive provision, sex and relationships education, and other aspects of 

interest to the group members, will embark on a developmental programme. This 

28

involves collecting examples of good practice from elsewhere. It could mean that 

group members are able to offer family planning clinics, GP Practices etc, a pool 

of knowledgeable young people able to “test” their services for user friendliness 

and atmosphere. It will definitely provide a group able to enter into dialogue as 

the strategy to reduce teenage pregnancies develops. 

• Teenagers as Parents 

The Dales Healthy Living Centre bid includes Teenagers as Parents (a focused 

intervention with the Primary Care Team working in a peer led education model). 

• Peterlee Pupil Representation Group 

The Education Action Zone in Peterlee has a Pupil Representation Group (1 from 

each secondary school in the zone) who will be asked to give their views and 

support to work in this area. 

Action plans recommended for further development (R) 

• Incidence at Local Authority level 

Investigate trends over a longer time period in order to establish a better 

understanding of the long term situation. 

• Confidential Inquiry 

Establish a confidential local enquiry system to be in place to access data on 

teenage conceptions. In particular this would look into local patterns in 

terminations/ continuation of pregnancy among under 16s, as research 

elsewhere has shown that these can vary considerably within small geographical 

areas, and may lead into service development issues. 

• Data for 16-18s 

Map distribution of pregnancies in young women aged 16-18. 

• Equality of Education 

Ensure equality of opportunity and equality of access the LEA will be planning 

and funding equitable provision rather than a two- tier provision whereby many 

excluded pupils receive full time packages and pregnant pupils receive a lesser 

provision. 

• Housing needs 

Northern Consortium of Housing Authorities to co-ordinate needs assessment for 

semi-supported housing for lone teenage parents, across County Durham with 

support from Public Health in line with requirement of the Teenage Pregnancy 

Unit. 

• Contraceptive advice from a GP other than the one you are registered with 

Collect information about which GPs have opted to provide contraceptive advice 

to all patients, rather than simply their own practice in order to identify gaps in 

provision and publicise the provision more widely. 1 

1 Obtaining contraceptive advice in more privacy than is often possible in small community surgeries is clearly an important 

facility; there is anecdotal evidence that many professionals as well as the public are unaware of the possibility. Some 

patients appear to use ‘temporary resident’ arrangements, which could be considered fraudulent in some circumstances. 

29

• Practice Development Plans 

Ensure that the Postgraduate Medical Education Training programme includes 

regular updates on service provision related to sexual health and contraception, 

and skills in dealing with young people, as well as medical aspects and 

encourage GPs to take up this training. Ensure appropriate training is identified 

and made accessible to practice nurses. Provide receptionist training to assist 

them in dealing sympathetically with enquiries from young people. 

• Specific sessions for contraception 

All group practices should be encouraged as the norm to offer contraceptive 

services at specific clinics, held at times suitable for young people i.e. after 

school or Saturday morning, with discreet waiting areas. GPs may find lunch 

times are appropriate. This should be in liaison with other service providers. 

• Condoms freely available 

Make condoms freely available recurringly 2 , in accordance with a protocol 

ensuring adequate explanation for effective use, information and referral to other 

services is readily available. 

• Saturday morning clinic 

Extend End House contraceptive provision available on Saturday morning. This 

commenced February 2001. 

• Training for other service providers 

End House staff would offer training to other groups e.g. youth workers, teachers, 

other family planning clinic providers. 

• Improve Chester-le-Street Clinic 

Modify current service to make it more suitable for young people . 

• Central booking 

Trusts to develop a central booking system to ensure easy access to family 

planning clinics. There have been funding issued around obtaining hardware to 

support this. So this may not be a viable option. 

• Staff trained to work with young people 

Trusts to ensure all staff in family planning clinics have regular training in working 

with young people. 

• Contraceptive care services 

Encourage a shift in name from family planning clinics to contraceptive care 

services, young people’s clinics or other broader term. 

• Protocol for follow up to emergency contraception 

2 Recurring funding has been identified in Durham/Chester-le-St, The Dales and Sedgefield and non-recurring funding in 

Derwentside and Darlington. Services currently doing this report increased use by young men, and the pilot scheme in 

Durham/Chester-le-Street demonstrated more men using the GP based service than family planning clinics. The Sedgefield 

pilot will be in place from 1 st April 2000, usage will be monitored on a quarterly basis, with annual evaluation. 

30

Develop a protocol for the consistent follow up of young people using emergency 

contraception including the provision of information about local services for young 

people, printed information about contraception and accessing services, and the 

offer of an appointment with a local clinic/service. 

• Out of hours provision 

Publicise access to emergency contraception via NHS Direct. 

• Emergency contraception from nurses 

Explore protocol development for provision of emergency contraception by 

Community Nursing and Family Planning Staff. 

• New emergency contraception 

Encourage all prescriptions for emergency contraception to use the newly 

available form which is more efficient and has fewer side effects. 

• Dedicated young people’s services 

Ensure there is at least one service per PCG (ideally per main population centre) 

dedicated to young people, at a suitable time, with staff trained to work with 

young people and systematic user involvement in assessing the quality of 

service. 

• Publicity for contraceptive services 

Organise the collection, updating, printing and regular widespread distribution of 

information about sexual health advice, pregnancy testing and counselling and 

contraceptive provision within the PCG area. 

• Co-ordinated data collection 

Agree with all providers a co-ordinated approach to data collection in relation to 

uptake of contraceptive services by young people, in order to track improvements 

in relation to specific groups such as young men. 

• Reinforce condom use 

Support general awareness raising about appropriate contraceptive use for 

young people, particularly reinforcing the profile of condoms (properly used) as 

contraception as well as for protection from sexually transmitted infection. 

• Training for school nurses 

Ensure all school nurses are appropriately family planning trained e.g. level three 

training programme ‘Sexual Health’ accredited through the Tees and Region 

Open College Network. To ensure competence of those providing the service. 

• Drop in time maintained 

Ensure school nursing services are able to sustain ‘drop in time’ in each 

secondary school as a source of sexual health information and advice among 

other things. There is evidence that the role of school nurses can be effective. 

• Pilot condom distribution by school nurses 

Seek schools which are prepared to pilot school nurses distributing condoms in 

accordance with a suitable protocol. 

31

• Training for teachers 

Because of devolved budgets the training need expressed by personal social and 

health education co-ordinators must complete a six stage process in order to 

effect greater provision. 

1. Persuade Head Teacher 

2. Need identified to LEA 

3. LEA offers training 

4. INSET co-ordinator informs teachers 

5. Teacher applies 

6. Head agrees to provide cover. 

This sequence can break down at any stage. The recommendation is both to 

work hard on all stages of the process; and for the Teenage Pregnancy Unit to 

identify ring fenced funding. 

Teachers should be encouraged to take up the level three sexual health training 

module accredited through the Tees and Region Open college network. 

• Resources for teachers 

The range of resources available to assist teachers in delivering sex and 

relationships education should be expanded. Allocation of a specific budget for 

provision in this area would be an important step forward on a school by school 

basis. Enhancement of the resources available from Specialist Health Promotion 

Services could be a cost effective way of increasing access to up to date relevant 

materials. 

• Curriculum development in years 8 & 9 

On going work with personal, social and health education co-ordinators should 

emphasise the importance of developmental delivery including years 8 & 9, and 

addressing areas important to young people particularly relationships skills, 

practical approaches to using contraceptives, and access to local contraceptive 

advice. Research elsewhere shows the importance of skills in practical 

negotiation. The teacher needs to be relevant to high risk situations e.g. after 

drinking alcohol. 

• School governor training 

There has been an input to school governor training in County Durham LEA for 

some time. This work needs to be enhanced. 

• Fair Play 

Encourage the development of all projects that increase the scope of young 

people aspirations. 

• Connexions 

As part of the longer term action plan the Careers Service will be working more 

closely with the Youth Service, Educational Welfare, and Learning Support 

Service in order to develop a holistic approach. The Connexions Strategy could 

32

enable this range of services to provide a multidisciplinary approach to reducing 

teenage pregnancy, and to the provision of education other than at school. 

• Joined up Services 

Make more explicit links between community nurses e.g health visitors, school 

nurses, midwives, practice nurses and GP’s, and the support available from 

careers, youth workers, educational welfare officers, learning support services. 

• Contraceptive provision in colleges 

Some colleges would like to encourage provision of contraceptive care services 

on site and should work with their Primary Care Group and Trust colleagues to 

enable this to happen. All colleges should be encouraged to make condoms 

available as a minimum. 

• Staff training in colleges 

Some colleges would like in service training for staff from health professionals in 

order to ensure an accurate and appropriate information is being delivered. 

Staff should be encouraged to take up the level three training programme 

accredited through the Tees and Region Open College Network. 

• Contraceptive provision in the youth setting 

Expand on contraceptive provision in the youth setting if consultation with young 

people indicates that this is an appropriate source of contraceptive provision. This 

would require fresh resources or the reallocation of resources from traditional 

family planning clinics. This should not reduce the quality or level of service for 

other client groups. 

• Training for foster carers 

Ensure health promotion skills generally and sexual health specifically form part 

of the recruitment, development and basic training package offered to foster 

carers in both Durham and Darlington (“Payments for Skills Training 

Programme”). If appropriate consider extending this basic training for some 

carers who specialist for example in work with girls at risk. 

• Training for residential staff 

Include health promotion skills generally and sexual health specifically as part of 

the NVQ Level 3 staff development and training programme related to children’s 

homes, which includes the module on young peoples health and development. 

Develop links with Specialist Health Promotion Services, providers of sexual 

health advice and contraception to support delivery of this programme. 

• Enhanced training of “resource staff” 

Develop a model in which some children’s home staff act as a “resource person” 

who has done accredited training in relation to health promotion theory, skills and 

methods and specific subject areas including sexual health, in order to give 

generic staff backup in the form of advice, discussion, and access to materials, in 

their relationships with young people where sexual health issues arise. 

33

• Partnership agreement with carers 

County Durham Looked After System to develop a Partnership Agreement with 

the Careers Service for the children in care sector. 

• Dissemination of information 

Providers of information, resources, sexual health advice to ensure delivery to 

relevant access points including residential homes, social security offices, social 

services etc. 

• Youth Offenders and Teenage Pregnancy data 

Include information about links with teenage pregnancy in the baseline data 

collection exercise for young offenders, in order to focus on the specific links, and 

inform future progress. 

• Young Offenders Institutions 

Work with all young offenders institutions to ensure issues of sexual health and 

contraception are addressed. Include all Young Offenders Institutions and the 

Probation Service in the next development of this Action Plan. 

• Improve communication with parents 

Improve communication with parents from both schools and health agencies. 

This includes informing parents of sex education in the curriculum, in the primary 

school setting as well as the secondary school setting. 

• Parents as Educators training 

Train trainers and training key stakeholders such as school governors to develop 

awareness of possible approaches to sex education. 

• Improve access to resources 

Make widely available access to health education resources available to support 

parents, including lending books and packs to parents, putting suitable pre 

schools books in the book loan scheme, ensuring a wide range of leaflets is on 

display, providing work sheets in school that children can finish with parents help, 

and disseminating Teenage Pregnancy Unit campaign materials for parents on 

talking to their children about sex. 

• Consistent advice and support 

To work with PCGs, Trusts and Social Services to ensure equitable access to 

help and advice from all services is consistently offered to young women as soon 

as possible after the pregnancy is confirmed. 

• Provision of childcare facilities 

The young people are dependent upon family support to care for the baby while 

they are attending the groups or school. Some young people do not have this 

support. There are plans to pursue this issue through involvement in the Sure 

Start initiatives within County Durham linked to Early Years Childcare 

Partnerships. 

34

• Develop more structured follow up and support of pupils when they leave 

the alternative provision 

Although return to school is planned there is no specific outreach/back up support 

available for those young people who do not re-engage or who find attendance in 

school difficult to maintain. 

• Improve Curriculum access 

The part-time nature of the alternative provision and the appointment of a single 

teacher in each group restricts access to abroad curriculum. Moving towards fulltime 

provision and the recruitment of specialist subject would improve curriculum 

access. 

• Improve professional development of staff 

Currently the teachers are employed on part time/casual contracts, which means 

they are often excluded from training opportunities. 

• Improve the expectation and reality of returning to school 

The expected rapid return to school/college faced by young mothers can result in 

their dropping out rather than re-engaging in education; 

The expectation of returning to school should remain. However, in reality some 

young people do not return to school. More flexibility is needed to ensure all 

young people remain engaged in some form of education. 

• Resources for groupwork 

The lack of affordable base/office space for existing professionals to set up any 

support group/group work programme. There is a need for resources to allow 

successful group work to take place. 

• Improve the scope and co-ordination of projects aimed at prevention 

There is currently a sporadic and uncoordinated approach to involving these 

young parents in schemes promoting the prevention of teenage pregnancy e.g. 

peer mentoring schemes. 

• Develop wider plans for a range of semi-supported accommodation for 

teenage parents 

Extend the Darlington scheme using Local Authority and Housing Association 

Accommodation to make supported accommodation more widely available, with a 

variety of formats. This could include providing support in individual 

accommodation a form of ‘fostering’ cum tenancy with another family, or 

accommodation shared with other young people. The Quality protects work in 

County Durham to develop voluntary sector provision for people with particular 

needs could be expanded on. The Social Exclusion Unit report criteria will be 

borne in mind and the changes in housing benefits will influence both provision 

and take-up. The Northern Consortium of Housing Authorities will provide a coordinating 

lead for County Durham. 

• College creche facilities 

Work with local colleges to improve creche provision especially for under two’s. 

35

• Work with young men 

Work to develop effective ways to involve young men in the prevention of 

teenage pregnancy. This will involve a range of measures, some included 

elsewhere in this report ( eg, the Investing in Children Group referred to in section 

4 is likely to include young men, the results of Contraceptive Awareness Week 

included young men “trying out” local contraceptive service providers). 

Publicity related to well by young men could be part of the development. 

Investigation to follow up with young men who are using services (eg Annfield 

Plain, End House, South Durham Health Care) could identify what the key factors 

are and enable these to be more widely utilised. 

• Sexual Health Forum 

Consider establishing a Sexual Health Forum for Easington and 

Durham/Chester-le-Street and Derwentside, if there is local practitioner support. 

• Research into young women’s choices generating educational materials 

A local research project could involve young women’s pathways. The project 

would produce narrative data to enable further exploration of what makes a 

difference in relation to the “choices” and “decisions” young women make. One 

idea is to collect data from pairs of friends where one has become a teenage 

mother and the other not, but where they are demographically matched with the 

same school background and peer group. Outputs from the project would be 

materials to feed back into schools. 

A different approach to a similar idea could involve cross generational work such 

as discussion/focus groups involving single gender 15/25/35 year olds to explore 

changing views and experiences of sex and sexual health. The project would cut 

across current generational boundaries in relation to parents/teachers/health 

workers versus young people, and yet move beyond peer education and the 

problems attached to it. The learning would not necessarily be one directional, 

and could begin to break down the them/us barrier. Resources to be sought 

separately from Research Funds. 

• Developing best practice 

Ensure local evaluation and monitoring contributes to developing good practice, 

and that local developments use evidence generated nationally and 

internationally. If a co-ordinator is funded this could be part of his/her brief. 

Suggestions to the Teenage Pregnancy Unit nationally 

• Payment for male contraceptive care 

A change in the payment system to enable GP’s to claim for male contraceptive 

care including giving advice and condoms would be of great benefit in 

encouraging service delivery attractive to young men in the Primary Care setting. 

• Enhance the role of Colleges 

Colleges are an important venue where many 16 – 18 year olds attend, who can 

be offered support through the college setting currently provision is patchy. There 

should be a national recommendation to colleges to encourage a consistent 

36

approach in this area including availability of condoms. There should also be a 

national push to increase creche facilities, particularly for under twos. 

37

• Sex and relationships education as part of citizenship 

There is a need to highlight sex and relationships education as an important 

component of citizenship, in terms of a sense of self, identifying a wide range of 

options in terms of futures, and raising young people’s aspirations; there is also a 

need to prioritise practical aspects of sex and relationships education, with a 

particular focus on relationships skills such as negotiation, and practical skills in 

relation to effective contraceptive use. 

• Develop up to date sex positive materials 

There is a national shortage of good up to date relevant and sex positive 

materials for sex and relationships education which would be met more cost 

effectively in terms of appropriate piloting and development work at a national 

level. Where there are materials there needs to be a national strategy to make 

sure they are accessible to schools (this requires a budget, and teacher training 

to use them). 

• Ring fenced funding for teacher training 

There is an identified need at least for the short term, to ring fence funding to 

ensure training on sex and relationships education is available to teachers, with 

cover provided. 

• Advice for teenage parents 

Make available advice for teenage parents (Health, Social Services, Benefits etc) 

through an existing phone line and publicise widely targeted to young women at 

the point when pregnancy is first confirmed. 

• Research and Development budget 

There is a need to prioritise research into the prevention of teenage pregnancy in 

order to continue to develop the evidence base nationally, for example through a 

ring fenced budget. 

38

PART A 

SECTION 3 

40

LOCAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN 

42

Local Media Campaign 

County Durham and Darlington 

Strategic Vision 

- The local media campaign will reinforce those messages given in the 

national campaign as well as enabling the following things to happen. 

- Young people will receive information about local services through a 

variety of media sources. They will be able to access that information 

easily and it will be presented in a form that is useful to all young people. 

The local media campaign will move forward from the start with innovative 

practice and using a selection of media forms, including credit card sized 

information cards, posters and a website based on local information about 

advice and services in County Durham and Darlington. 

- It will be the responsibility of a specific post holder to ensure that accurate 

and up to date information on services is collected. That information will 

be fed to the Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator who will organise 

its collation, distribute it to Sexwise and to local sources as follows: 

There will be agreements with local businesses and organisations so that 

there is a procedure for replacement of posters and other materials as 

they become old, out of date or stolen. Links with the Specialist Health 

Promotion Service and library service will be used for this. 

43

Local Media Campaign 

Risk Assessment Of Current Service Provision 

Strengths 

- County Durham has successfully piloted a website for young people in the 

Looked After System and has now launched it County wide. The Looked 

After Network can be viewed at ‘www.careon-line.greatxscape.net’ 

- County Health Promotion Specialist Communications lead has good links 

with local newspapers. 

- A Website for the Healthy Schools Initiative has already been established 

for County Durham and Darlington. 

- The Specialist Health Promotion Service Communications lead has good 

specialist knowledge and experience, and has a background in journalism. 

- The Health Promotion Service Resource Library for County Durham and 

Darlington is on-line and young people are encouraged to access the 

library and to open their own accounts so that they can borrow any of the 

resources. 

- There are strong links between the Specialist Health Promotion Service 

Communications Lead and local authorities. 

Weaknesses 

- This will be the first campaign specifically aimed at tacking teenage 

pregnancy. 

Opportunities 

- There are no precedents which have to be followed and so there are more 

opportunities to develop new partnerships and new ways of working. 

- Opportunities to develop partnerships with local businesses which may be 

usefully included in the local media campaign. 

Threats 

- It is acknowledged that young people don’t read newspapers and so 

information communication technology or ‘new media’ is more appropriate 

to target young people. 

44

1. Approach to planning and advertising services 

All services provided for young people by Voluntary Agencies, Community 

Education and Youth Services, Sexual Health Outreach Workers, Health 

Agencies etc. will be advertised in sensitive and appropriate ways. For each 

service advertising will be planned in a shared forum which will include the 

Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation Co-ordinator, the Health 

Promotion Services Communication Lead, the County Sexual Health Outreach 

Workers, young people and representatives from the agencies whose services 

are to be advertised. The method of advertising will be dependant on the 

particular service being advertised, the most appropriate method will be chosen 

by the group including young people. 

2. Getting the message to young people / Involvement of young people 

in the development and distribution of information 

We will consult with and involve young people in developing the content for 

sexual health and relationship education on the health promotion website 

(www.health-promotion.org.uk/name to be arranged) that will contain relevant 

local information such as young peoples clinics. It could also contain a direct link 

into the Sexwise database at www.ruthinking.co.uk 

There will also be a website and intranet system incorporating tackling teenage 

pregnancy on the Social Services Department (SSD) IT System which will be 

accessible by all SSD staff. It will have links to other relevant sites and will give 

details of relevant documentation. In addition there will also be links to those 

documents and the County Durham Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Strategy. 

The Health Promotion website will provide links and information which will direct 

sexual health/relationships page users to the Health Promotion Information and 

Resource Library (www.health-promotion.org.uk/hpac) which has direct links to 

quality websites on sexual health and relationships. Some teachers are already 

familiar with the resources on offer from the Resource Library and can place 

orders for sexual health/relationships material (including the sex, are you thinking 

about it materials) on-line for use in PSE classes. The Library has the capacity to 

put these materials on-line in a downloadable format if copyright permission can 

be secured. Several hundred students also have passwords that enable them to 

order materials on-line. Information on materials carried by the Library is not 

password protected and anyone can browse the catalogue. 

The Healthy Schools pages on the website (www.healthpromotion.org.uk/schools) 

are also currently under development and will have 

reciprocal links to the sexual health and relationship pages and the Resource 

Library. 

The Health Promotion site also has the capacity to develop a chat room, 

message board or discussion list for teenagers. The type of communication 

vehicle chosen would depend on the outcome of consultation with teenagers. 

Publicity for the site would be generated through local print media, through direct 

contacts already established by the Information & Resource Library’s database 

and other forms of direct contact. This could also include Library contacts with 

45

professionals working with vulnerable young people. Health Promotion 

Specialists are also a crucial link for promoting this. 

Usage of the site and requests for information from the Library can be gained 

from the web server. 

Young people will be consulted to gain an understanding of how they would like 

to see the local website develop, what information they would like to see on it and 

what it should be called. This will be done by using links already forged with 

Education, Social Services and Voluntary Organisations. 

3. Plans for using and adapting national campaign materials 

All local plans for advertising will be made in reference to the national campaign. 

In County Durham we intend to particularly use nationally produced posters and 

post cards in conjunction with locally produced posters and credit card sized 

information cards. Messages of the national campaign which we will particularly 

reinforce are: 

- You can get free confidential advice and information about contraception 

whatever your age. 

- If you are sexually active, use contraception (to prevent pregnancy and 

Sexually Transmitted Diseases). 

4. Young Men and Vulnerable Young People 

As well as the website, posters and small cards will be distributed throughout the 

county detailing local services and giving telephone numbers of relevant sources 

of information and advice. The small cards will be used in two ways. Firstly, 

there will be a pilot scheme for the county which will run in the Sedgefield PCG 

area. Credit card sized information cards will be placed in supermarkets where 

pregnancy testing kits can be obtained and they will be included in pregnancy 

testing kits dispensed by pharmacists. They will detail telephone numbers of a 

range of sources of advice and information. A second pilot scheme in the Dales 

locality will involve a dual-sided credit type card which will enable young people 

to obtain condom or emergency contraception simply by handing over the card to 

any GP’s Surgery within the PCG area. It will be advertised by an accompanying 

poster and by an information leaflet which also folds to credit card size. The 

posters and cards will be placed in areas where young people can easily see 

them and where they can read them privately. Links with local cafes, fast food 

outlets, leisure centres, local transport companies and other areas requested by 

young people will be forged and developed, and the links already established 

with Community Education, Youth Offending Team (YOT), Youth Services, the 

Voluntary Sector and Sexual Health Outreach Workers will be used to enable 

boys and vulnerable young people to access information in places which they are 

at ease and private. For instance, posters and credit card sized information 

cards will be placed on the back of toilet doors so that young people can read the 

information privately and without being seen by peers or anyone else. The 

information cards will be placed in toilets so that young people can take them 

away and read them later. Information can also be disseminated to young people 

in the Looked After System by incorporating sexual health issues into existing 

publications such as the quarterly mail shot ‘Who Cares’. The Investing in 

46

Children newsletter would also be a useful means of delivering sexual health 

information. 

5. Directories of Services 

A directory of services has been produced for County Durham and Darlington 

and has been forwarded to the Sexwise database. We envisage that there will 

be two types of directory of services in County Durham and Darlington in addition 

to this. There will be a directory intended for use by professionals. This will 

enable any professional, education, voluntary sector, social services or health 

based to access information quickly and easily should a young person approach 

them for that information. 

The second directory will be designed by young people and it is intended that any 

young person would be able to use this directory directly without having to 

approach an intermediary adult. This will enhance the opportunity for young 

people to be empowered and to take control of their own sexual health. This 

directory could be included in already existing publications for young people such 

as the Social Service booklets. 

It will be the responsibility of the Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator to 

distribute the directories to relevant agencies and young people’s groups. 

6. Details of Services 

Details of services will be actively advertised in schools, Health buses, Youth 

Clubs, Voluntary Sector, Drop in Services and other places where young people 

meet. Again, this will involve local businesses and employers. Links with the 

Health Promotion Specialist (HPS for the work place have been made and young 

people at work can be targeted in advertising health services. 

7. The Local Media Strategy 

The local media strategy will be constantly reviewed to ensure that it gives 

messages which are consistent with the national campaign and to enable young 

people to be involved in the review and evaluation of the local media strategy. 

This will ensure that the messages which are given out are relevant and 

appropriate in their content and are being displayed in places where young 

people can access the information contained there in. 

Print media/newspapers will be used to maintain the profile of the Tackling 

Teenage Pregnancy work throughout County Durham and Darlington. Press 

releases and follow ups and radio. Wherever possible the work of difference 

agencies, voluntary sector, young peoples groups will be highlighted in this way. 

But the advertising of information and services directed at young people will be 

through other means (as detailed earlier) to ensure that young people have 

access to the messages, they can access the messages privately and they are 

therefore given every opportunity to retain the information which they need. 

47

LOCAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN – 10 YEAR STRATEGY 

Issue Task Planned 

Action/Goals 

S.E.U. 1. Inform the 1. Sexual Health 

Action national Outreach Workers & 

Point 15 helplines, TP Co-ordinator to 

e.g. Sexwise ensure local 

information is accurate 

and up to date 

2. Tackling Teenage 

Pregnancy Coordinator 

distributes 

information to local 

agencies, young 

peoples groups 

3. National help-line 

telephone numbers will 

be displayed on local 

information 

Timescale Who/Lead Assumptions/ 

Risks, Comments 

1. 2001 to 1. Teenage Pregnancy Co- 1. Assumes there will be 

2010 

ordinator with SHPS 

someone free to do the work 

2. 2001 to 

2010 

3. 2001 to 

2010 

48 

2. Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator 


with relevant 

members of media forum 

detailed in text section 1 

2. Suggest that any organisation 

changing any details about their 

service be required to inform the 

central database holder so 

Sexwise can be kept up to date 

3. Risk = some local agencies 

may want only local information 

on their advertising

LOCAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN – THREE YEAR ACTION PLAN 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 16 

1. Get young 

people to 

seek advice 

– local 

campaign 

1. Establish Media 

Forum 

2. Consult young 

people about local 

website 

3. Develop website 

according to results of 

no. 2 

1. 2001 

2. 2001 

3. 2001 

ongoing 

49 

1. Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator, 

Sexual Health 

Outreach Workers, SHPS & 

Communications Lead 

2. Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator, 

SHPS & 

Communications Lead 

3. SHPS & Communications 

Lead 

1. Will have to take place out of 

school hours so that young people 

can attend 

2. Will have to take place out of 

school hours so that young people 

can attend 

3. Website will have links to 

national websites and local 

Healthy Schools site & Health 

Promotion Sites & to the 

Connexions website


S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 16 

1. Get young 

people to 

seek advice 

– local 

campaign 

1. Get young 

people to 

seek advice 

– local 

campaign 

1. Develop ‘credit 

card’ of telephone 

no’s pilot re: 

pregnancy testing kits 

2. Launch cards with 

pharmacies and 

supermarkets 

3. Develop credit 

card pilot and launch 

more PCG area 

4. Use local media 

forum to plan 

posters/cards for local 

use 

1. Establish links with 

local business and 

transport companies 

2. Launch local 

cards/posters 

1. Jan 2001 to 

April 2001 

2. July 2001 

3. 2001 

4. 2001 to 2002 

1. 2001/2002 

2. 2001/2 

50 

1. PCG Teenage Pregnancy 

Planning Group 

2. PCG Teenage Pregnancy 


3. SHPS, Teenage Pregnancy 

Co-ordinator & PCG 


& Media Forum 



& Media Forum 

3. Will be closely evaluated and 

extended to non-clinical settings 

Must be out of school hours to 

ensure the input of young people 

1. Build relationships to ensure 

smooth operationalisation of 

advertising advice and sexual 

health services 

2. Pilot schemes will be already 

underway and being evaluated, the 

county posters/cards scheme can 

draw on that evaluation information


S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 17 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 17 

1.Get young 

people to 

seek advice 

– local 

campaign 

2.Get young 

people to 

seek advice 

– local 

campaign 

1. Develop checklist/ 

Directory of Services 

for professionals 

2. Develop Directory 

of Services for young 

people 

1. Publicity 1. Seek print media 

coverage 

1. Publicity Develop SSD Website 

for professional re: 

Tackling Teenage 

Pregnancy Links to 

relevant 

documents/directory 

for services for 

professional use 

1. 2001 /2002 

2. 2002 

51 


& Media Forum 


& Media Forum 

1. 2001 1. Teenage Pregnancy Coordinator 

& Communications 

Lead 

1. 2001 to 2002 1. SSD Communications/ 

I.T. Lead 

1. Use that produced for Sexwise 

database initially 

2. Sexual Health Outreach 

Workers & Voluntary Sector will 

have links with young people 

1. Use to launch strategy & at 

intervals to maintain the profile of 


1. Can link with website produced 

by County Communications Lead

BETTER SEX & RELATIONSHIPS 

EDUCATION (SRE) 

52

Better Sex & Relationship Education (SRE) 


VISION 

VISION STATEMENT FOR SEX AND RELATIONSHIPS EDUCATION 

Sex and relationships education is part of a lifelong process of learning 

information and skills, forming beliefs, values and attitudes about sex, 

sexuality, sexual health and emotions. It should involve a range of 

agencies, parents and carers, along with young people themselves as 

peer educators, in supporting children and young people to cope with 

adolescence and prepare them for an adult life in which they can: 

• Be aware of and enjoy their sexuality 

• Behave responsibly within personal and sexual relationships and 

understand the consequences of their actions 

• Communicate effectively 

• Have sufficient information and skills to protect themselves and, where 

they have one, their partner from unintended/unwanted conceptions, 

and sexually transmitted infections including HIV 

• Access confidential advice and support 

• Avoid being exploited or exploiting others 

• Develop positive values and moral framework that will guide their 

decisions, judgements and behaviour. 

53

Better Sex & Relationship Education 

The Current Position – Where We Are Now 

1) Implementation of DFEE guidelines on Sex & Relationship ensuring 

all secondary schools are delivering Sex & Relationship Education 

• Emphasis is placed on consistency of information and also liaison with 

Health Promotion Services. 

• Healthy Schools Standards adhered to. 

• Continue to offer training support for staff, in and out of school as part of 

the Healthy School Standards, both for knowledge updating and 

development of delivery skills. 

• Continue to work with School Nursing Teams to identify priorities, 

including support work in schools. 

• On-going monitoring of delivery of sex and relationship education 

through Healthy Schools Standards Audit Mechanism. 

• Continue to improve liaison in PSHE networks. 

• Continue to plan sex and relationship education programmes relating to 

the needs of the young people, by consulting with them. 

• Continue to offer training for primary school teachers, on the delivery of 

SRE. 

• Continue to support and promote “the Sex Education Road Show” and 

other ad hoc events in schools, linked to Healthy Schools Standards, i.e. 

Contraception Awareness week/ North East Area AIDS Day. 

• Continue close liaison with the School Nursing Service, several of whom 

have undergone Family Planning Training and are therefore not only 

involved in the delivery or advising on contraception care in schools, but 

also in the local Family Planning Clinics and Young Peoples Centres. 

Lead 

The lead on the these tasks would be shared by a multi-disciplinary group 

consisting of Health Promotion Services, LEA, School Nursing Service, 

Healthy Schools Standards Steering Group and individual schools. 

54

Timescale 

• On-going - delivery of staff training. 

• 2001 – onwards for the development of tasks and identification of 

priorities. 

• 1 year – all schools made aware of guidance. 

• 2-3 years – all schools understand the content and requirements. 

• 3-5 years – programme planning in consultation with young people. 

• 3-5 years – provide examples of delivery models, i.e. develop a team of 

skilled, confident, interested teachers to deliver sex and relationship 

education. 

• 3-5 years – Healthy Schools Audit for external monitoring. 

2) Addressing the needs of young people at risk and in high rate areas 

• Continue to encourage engagement of schools in high risk areas, with 

regard to the Healthy Schools Standards. Promotion could be developed 

via the internet, PSHE meetings and networking and school profiling. 

• Continue to work with schools in high risk areas and encourage them to 

work on the sex and relationship education standard involving students 

in discussion and planning. 

• Continue to provide guidance on sex and relationship education in outof-school 

settings, i.e. provision for excluded children, children of 

Travellers and children in the looked-after-system, by developing training 

and awareness raising for identified staff, working in tandem with Health 

Promotion Services and the Community Education Service. 

• Re-integration of teenage mothers, into the school setting, with increased 

emphasis on the post of the Re-integration Officer, with possible 

mainstreaming of this post with additional funding. 

• There is a peer education project in one PCG area. 

• To date, there is part-time support and educational provision for teenage 

mothers, which should be extended to full time. 

• Continue increased emphasis on development of Connexions Service 

role. Connexions Advisors will be invited to be members of local 

Teenage Pregnancy Action Groups and the County Advisor will continue 

to be part of the Steering Group. 

55

• Ensure quality of access to impartial advice and information through the 

development of “One Stop Shops” in schools and in the community as a 

pilot project. Funding would be requested. 

• Continue to support Sexual Health Outreach Workers in each PCG area 

whose work is primarily with young people at risk and in high rate areas. 

• Continue to work with Investors in Children. 

• Using a joined up approach to SRE across a variety of settings including 

the Looked After System, the Youth Offending System, the Youth 

Service and in alternative Provision we will reduce the likelihood of 

young people experiencing social exclusion in terms of educational 

underachievement. 

Lead 

Healthy Schools, Standards Partnership, Community Education Service 

including LEA, Youth Workers, Social Services, Investors in Children, 

Connexions Services, Sexual Health Outreach Workers. 

Timescale 

• To date, Sexual Health Outreach Workers, Health Promotion 

Professionals and Youth Workers are working with local young people on 

joint projects. 

• A Peer Education Project on the realities of young parenthood runs in 

Easington. 

• 1 year – provide guidance on sex and relationship education by offering 

training on DFEE Guidelines leading to the development of a policy for 

identified staff. Funding would be required. 

• 1 year – consider mainstreaming of Re-integrated Officers post within 

LSS. This would require additional funding of £35,000. 

• 1 year – full time support (at present, part-time) and educational 

provision for teenage mothers, would require extra funding of £10- 

12,000. 

56

3) Addressing single gender work and the needs of boys and young 

men 

• Continue to use the Healthy Schools Standards, ensuring equality and 

equity of provision. 

• Continue to liaise with young people to identify their needs. 

• Continue to work closely with Investors in Children. 

• Youth Workers to continue assessing and prioritising needs, their own as 

well as young peoples needs. 

• Continue to encourage young men to access services re: Family 

Planning Clinics and Young Peoples Centres, through information given 

in schools, Colleges, Youth Clubs and Leisure Centres. 

Lead 

Youth & Community Workers, LEA, Health Promotion Services, Community 

Education. 

Timescale 

• On-going work working with groups of young people and on one-to-one. 

• 1 year – essential that funding is continued for voluntary organisations, 

providing young people’s services i.e. End House Young Peoples 

Centre. 

4) In-service training and support for professionals, governors and 

parents/carers 

At present: 

• TROCN (Tees Regional Open College Network). Level III, an accredited 

programme is being offered for people who have a remit for, and an 

interest in, working in the field of sexual health promotion. 

This programme is in conjunction with Tees Open College Network and 

Specialist Health Promotion Services in County Durham (and Darlington) 

Primary Care Group. 

• School & Governor Support Unit on board. 

• Dedicated post in Easington. 

• Course for Governors – (Sex Education – Your School – Your 

Responsibility) gives them the opportunity to discuss new issues 

pertaining to sex and relationship education, and how to 

implement/improve sex education in their particular school. 

57

• Training for the trainers – set up when need identified. 

• School Nursing Service works closely with Schools & Health Promotion 

Service. 

• Regular up-dates for school nurses to take place at the beginning of each 

term – needs identified by the school nurses. 

• Training and updating on issues pertaining to young people and sexual 

health, has been undertaken by all members of Primary Health Care 

Teams in one local PCG area. Other PCG areas are at present planning 

similar programmes. 

• Courses for parents have been held in one PCG area. 

Future Plans 

• Develop TROCN Level III for teaching staff – a focussed shorter course 

which may depend on the availability of teachers able to attend. 

2001 - Establish a multi-disciplinary working group. 

2002 - Submission of the training programme. 

Develop or identify relevant training for Youth Workers, Education Social 

Workers, Residential Social Workers. 

• Develop TROCN Level II for parents and carers including foster parents 

by: 

2001 - establishing a multi-agency working group. 

2002 - Submission of the training programme. 

• Support in-school programmes for INSET. 

2002 - with the development of distance learning materials. 

• Work with the Governors through the Governor Support Unit of County 

Durham (& Darlington). 

• Encourage participation by parents and carers – other local training events 

through the school and Health Promotion Services. 

• Identify staff training needs through the Healthy Schools Standard Audit. 

• Carry out audit of current training opportunities. 

• Joint training events for all involved in delivering/or working in the field of 

Sexual Health Promotion. 

• Joint working with LEA, Health Promotion Services, Community Education, 

Connexions, Youth Workers and School Nursing Service. 

58

5) Developing sex and relationship education policies in the youth 

services, residential homes etc. 

• Community Education Service is at present reviewing the current draft of 

the Sex and Relationship Education Policy and guidelines through an 

established Review Group, which will plan the progress and report on the 

review and recommendations. 

• Sex and relationship education is to become an integral part of the 

Community Education Service Youth Work Curriculum. 

The review of this curriculum will ensure that sex and relationship 

education will be prioritised in the statement guidelines by 2002. 

• There is a need for the establishment of a Sexual Health Worker post, to 

train and support the staff through the development of training 

programmes, 2002-2003, depending on funding available. 

• There is a need to broaden the range of learning opportunities around sex 

and relationship education, using the expertise of other professionals. 

• Work to continue with young people in the community using drama, 

community art workers, and community education workers and sexual 

health outreach workers. 

Future 

• It is important to have and develop training link with foster carers and 

residential social workers, regarding sex and relationship education. 

• Links can be developed between sexual health outreach workers and 

looked after networks. 

• It is crucial to have continued funding for End House, the Young Peoples 

Centre. 

• All of this work will help to ensure that young people are less likely to be at 

risk of social exclusion. 

6) Using young people / parents and carers as educators 

• Peer education and peer mentoring is underway in schools and Youth 

Services at present. 

• Involve parents and carers in discussion around sex and relationship 

education offering local supported mini-courses if requested. 

• Develop an accredited course for young people, peer led, as suggested in 

TROCNII/III guidelines, this is underway. 

This work is currently being discussed by several organisations and 

individuals, and could be undertaken by joint working with Health Promotion 

and Community Education. 

59

7) Mechanisms for Quality Assurance for delivery of Sex and 

Relationship Education 

• Auditing provision as part of the Healthy Schools Standard (County 

Durham & Darlington). 

• Audit is active in all participating schools and then checked annually. 

• The audit tool is currently under review and will continue to be up-dated 

annually. 

• Continue to ensure consistent messages from the trainers by setting up 

joint training programmes for Health Authority and LEA Support Staff. 

Lead 

Healthy Schools Partnerships. 

Future 

• Development of a forum of providers to establish agreed quality standards. 

• Clarify the role of the School Nursing Service, i.e. involvement / provision, 

1-3 years. 

• Schools and school nurses to jointly audit the sex and relationship 

education delivered in schools, by setting up a working group with the LEA 

and School Nursing Service. 

8) Mechanisms for involving and consulting parents and young people, 

using a range of professionals 

• A multi-agency approach required. 

• Continue to encourage parents/carers to be involved with the school by 

setting up mini-courses for parents as carers/resources and inviting their 

comments on the sex and relationship education curriculum content. 

• Link with training organised by Social Services for foster carers. 

• Audit of student involvement using the Healthy School Standards, in 

individual schools. This is underway and will be on-going in participating 

schools. 

60

Child Care in local Colleges 

Further Education Colleges are committed to supporting teenage parents and 

their return to education. 

• Darlington College 

14 places from 2 years (Day Nursery) 

• East Durham & Houghall Community College 

55 places – day nursery – from birth (Students take priority) 

• Bishop Auckland College 

100 places – day nursery 

& (portable day care – nursery nurses attend to cover local community 

courses). 

• New College Durham 

29 places – day nursery. 

• Derwentside College 

Derwentside College has a child care scheme with local nurseries and 

registered childminders to provide free childcare to all those who are 

eligible (including all 16 to 18 year olds). 

61

BETTER SRE – THREE YEAR ACTION PLAN 

Issue Task Planned Action/Goals Timescale Who/Lead Assumptions/ 


S.E.U. 1. New 1. Delivery of staff 1. Ongoing Multi-agency group of: 

Action Guidance on training. 

Health Promotion 

Point 8 SRE in 2. Development of 2. 2001 onwards Service, LEAs, School 

Schools tasks/identify priorities 

Nursing, Healthy 

SEU 1. New 1. All schools made 1. 2001/2 

Schools Steering 

Action Guidance on aware of guidance 

Group and Schools 

Point 8 SRE in All schools understand 

Schools the content and 

requirements 

Raise profile of 

Connexions 

2. 2001 to 2003 

S.E.U. 1. New 1. Programme planning 1. 2001 – 2006 

Action Guidance on in consultation with 

Point 8 SRE in 

Schools 

young people 

S.E.U. 1. New 1. Provide examples of 1. 2001 – 2006 Develop a team of skilled, 

Action Guidance on delivery models 

confident, interested teachers 


to deliver sex and relationship 

Schools 

education 

S.E.U. 1. New 1. Health Schools Audit 1. 2001 –2006 

Action Guidance on for external monitoring 


Schools 

62

SRE THREE YEAR ACTION PLAN 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 8 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 8 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 8 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 8 

1. New 

Guidance on 

SRE in 

Schools 

1. New 

Guidance on 

SRE in 

Schools 

1. New 

Guidance on 

SRE in 

Schools 

1. New 

Guidance on 

SRE in 

Schools 

1. Provide guidance on 

DFEE Guidelines 

leading to the 

development of a policy 

for identified staff 

1. Consider 

mainstreaming of 

Reintegration Officers 

within LSS 

1. Full time support 

(present part time) and 

educational provision for 

teenage mothers 

1. Working with groups 

of young people and one 

to one 

1. 2001 – 2002 Healthy Schools 

Standards 

Partnership, LEA, 

Youth Workers, Social 

Services, Investors in 

Children, Connexions 

Service 

Funding would be required 

1. 2002 

1. 2002 – 2010 Healthy Schools 

Standards 

Partnership, LEA, 

Youth Workers, Social 

Services, Investors in 

Children, Connexions 

63 

Service 

1. Ongoing Youth & Community 

Workers, LEA, Health 

Promotion, 


Would require additional 

funding of £35,000 

Would require extra funding of 

£10-12,000


S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 8 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 12 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 12 

1. New 

Guidance on 

SRE in 

Schools 

1. Continued support of 

voluntary organisations, 

e.g. End House 

1. New 1. 1. Develop TROCN 

Guidance on level III for teaching and 

SRE in inter agency staff as 

Schools follows: 

2. a) Establish a multidisciplinary 

working 

group 

3. b) Submission of 

training programme 

1. 

Awareness 

raising 

1. 1. Develop TROCN II 

training for parents and 

carers, establish multiagency 

group 

2. 2. Submission of 


1. 2001 - 2002 Youth & Community 

Workers, LEA, Health 

Promotion, 


a) 2001 

b) 2002 

1. 2003/4 

2. 2002/2003 

64 

Education, Healthy 

Schools and partner 

agencies. 


Schools, Social 

Services and others 

who work with 

parents. 

TROCN group 

A shorter course to enable 

more teachers and other 

professionals to attend. 

Flexibility of length of course 

restricted by TROCN 

regulations. 

Professor Sue Scott (University 

of Durham) is researching 

Parents as Sex Educators. 

Their interim report is available 

locally.


S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 12 

S.E.U. 

Action 

Point 8 

1.Awareness 

raising 

1. New 

Guidance on 

SRE in 

Schools 

1. Support in-school 

programmes for INSET 

1. Develop Distance 

Learning Materials for 

work with Governors, 

Parents/Carers 

1. Identify staff training 

needs through Healthy 

Schools Audit 

2. Audit of current 

training opportunities 

3. Joint training events 

for all involved in 

delivering or working in 

sexual health promotion 

1. Ongoing Education, Healthy 

Schools/Health 

Promotion Services 

1. 2002/3 Education, Healthy 

Schools, Social 

Services 

1. 2001/2 

2. 2001/2 

3. 2002/3 & ongoing 

65 


Schools 

Joint working with LEA, Health 

Promotion, Community 

Education, Connexions, Youth 

Workers & School Nursing 

Service

BETTER CONTRACEPTION AND 

ADVICE SERVICES 

66

Better Contraception And Advice Services 

Strategic Vision – County Durham 

Young people will be empowered and helped to use mainstream 

contraceptive services as they grow into adulthood. There will be a coordinated 

network of services, which will be easily accessible to all regardless 

of age, gender, ethnicity, socio-economic status or disability. The same 

quality of care will be available at which ever point of contact a young person 

accesses the service. There will be co-ordinated contraception and advice 

services, which are specifically dedicated to young people. (In ten years time 

young people may also be involved in service delivery). 

There will be a range of sources of contraception available to young people so 

that they feel comfortable with accessing contraception and advice services. 

67

Contraception & Advice Service Risk Assessment 

SWOT Analysis 

Strengths 

• Committed individuals who will represent their organisations through 

partnership working (see weaknesses) 

• Staff flexibility 

• Good communication 

• Joint working between NHS Trusts, PCGs and General Practices 

• Staff working across settings + localities 

• Established working practices covering links between different working 

groups – e.g.: access to consultant: referral + community pathways 

(see next table) 

provision of condoms, pregnancy testing equipment, 

recent and ongoing service review. 

• Established policies for HR + clinical governance. 

• Contraception services are available in some non-clinical settings, 

supported by outreach nursing. 

Weaknesses 

• Lack of infrastructure for information gathering (still on paper) = needs to 

be updated in regard to I.T. (This needs to be compatible with the ‘GP 

systems’) (Across six PCG sites) (3 yrs). 

• Use of services by different ethnic group criteria is not yet monitored. 

• Lack of career structure for doctors + nurses working in Family Planning 

Services. 

• Translation services for groups or individuals including: Asian dialects only 

available on a one-off basis. This service needs further consideration. 

- Impact on access to services 

- Telephone provision (speakerphones – conference facilities) 

• Lack of permanent funding for subject’s area. 

Opportunities 

• (10 yrs) An agreement on co-ordinated service delivery across all Health 

providers. 

• Central Specialist Service within the provision of a core service and 

maximising on the current + future staffing complement + skill base, within 

general practice + community practices. 

• Developing the GP ‘Specialist Role’ (with associated pay structure) – 

currently operating in Darlington + evaluating well. Possible rollout 

programme across County Durham. 

• Working with Education on translation issues. 

• Service provision review in general practice clinics and other clinics to 

identify gaps in service and to identify agencies best able to fill the gap. 

• The service provision review in accordance with the Teenage Pregnancy 

Unit Best Practice Guidance will be acted upon appropriately at a local 

level. 

68

• Service provision in places such as YMCA, youth clubs, or expansion of 

young people’s contact bus 

• Look at possibility of involving young people in service delivery – 

consultation on practical implications is needed. 

Threats 

Staff 

• Availability of doctors + nurses to provide a service at unsociable times on 

a part time or ‘bank’ basis. Core service provision – critical mass required 

to continue providing training for doctors and nurses. 

• Career structure/ we must anticipate medical staff leaving the 

service/retiring 

• Salary issues- particularly for community clinic doctors. 

• Training – must consider training needs of all staff including receptionists. 

Transient Population 

• Difficult to ensure the use of services by and consistent follow-up of 

transient populations. 

69

CORE SERVICE 

Consultant and Community Clinics 

REFERRAL PATHWAYS 

• Information Available at each outlet 

• Confidentiality Minimum service 

expectation/specification 

• Child protection addressed (+ client experience) 

• Patient-Group/Directives 

• Prescribing 

• Under 16 friendly 

CLIENT 

SPECIALIST GP Other Health Personnel 

School nurses, GUM clinics, etc. 

70 

GP PARTNER 

ORGANISATION

2. Plans to disseminate and implement national guidance 

(Guidance for health professionals on contraception for under 16s available 

from autumn 2000). 

After initial local guidelines are developed and a training programme for health 

professionals on contraception for the under 16s is delivered, we will maintain 

DoH guidance and work with professionals from partner agencies to ensure a 

concerted and consistent approach. 

3. Planning and use of mainstream funding to ensure services are 

provided for young people using a variety of models and 

approaches which are appropriate to the local context and the 

needs and preferences of young people 

Plans will be drawn up to assess the community clinics already in operation 

and to test which of them could be most usefully changed into young people 

specific clinics. 

A variety of models will be used to ensure services are provided for young 

people. Assessments will be made of each proposal, young people will be 

consulted and their views will be taken into account when services are 

planned. Issues, which will be considered, include: 

• Confidentiality – the local implementation co-ordinator will ensure that the 

confidentiality tool kit developed by the Royal College of General 

Practitioners and Brook is being used and adhered to by General 

Practices, Primary Care Groups and Trusts. 

• Continued training for GPs, nurses and receptionists to ensure that 

services available to young people meet their needs and preferences. 

• Availability of condoms through distribution network schemes and 

machines. Condom or c-cards will be available for use by young people 

as well as older adults. In each of the pick up points the front of house 

staff will be trained particularly to deal with issues of confidentiality and 

other issues specifically relevant to young people. 

• The issue of condom distribution in schools will be investigated and any 

action taken will be with the full agreement of schools, governors, parents, 

young people, the local education authority, school nurses, NHS Trusts, 

PCGs and General Practices. 

• In County Durham a pilot scheme is testing a credit card sized information 

card. It will be given out by pharmacists to adults and young people who 

request pregnancy testing kit. The card will list telephone numbers of a 

range of local services. After evaluation, this will be replicated in 

Darlington. 

71

• In County Durham the links between health services and pregnant school 

girl/ young mums groups will continue. This enables further links between 

the young people and mainstream services leading to a reduction in the 

risk of their becoming socially excluded. 

• A young persons centre is being established from mainstream funding at a 

YMCA base and contraception services will be available in a youth friendly 

centre. 

• The mobile bus will continue to provide contraceptive advice and condom 

distribution. 

• Voluntary Organisations such as End House will continue the provision of 

contraceptive advice and provision. 

• Further use of the Sex Education Roadshow to give more opportunities for 

young people and professionals to experience etc. 

• Community Education will be consulted on their possible involvement in 

the distribution of contraception and advice services. Any action will again 

be in consultation with health, mainstream education and young people. 

• The Health Authority will continue to develop and monitor the provision of 

Emergency Hormonal Contraception through pharmacies. A proposal to 

provide Levonelle2 free of charge will be monitored and progress will be 

noted on this in the Annual Report. 

• There will be more nurse led clinics offering contraceptive services in ten 

years time as examples of current best practice are built upon. 

4. Use of multi-professional teams to deliver a range of service 

provision, ensuring young people are actively supported to 

access services for prevention, advice and support. 

County Durham and Darlington is committed to the use of multi-professional 

teams. It is envisaged that in ten years time the provision of advice and 

information will be delivered through a range of professionals and services. 

The Core Service Provision will be in the form of community clinics with links 

between the clinics and specialist GPs and mainstream GPs, nurses, 

midwives, health visitors. Additionally there will be links between all of the 

service providers and agencies, which can provide information to young 

people about services, which are available. Links will be made and 

maintained between the medical services and: 

Pharmacies, schools, workplaces, sexual health outreach workers, community 

settings, social services, media, shops/supermarkets, community education 

and youth offending teams. 

72

Community 

Education 

YOTs 

Shops/Supermarkets 

Advice & Information. 10 year plan 

Pharmacies 

GPs, Nurses, Midwives, 

Health Visitors 

Specialist 

GPs 

Core Service 

Provision 

(Community 

cn 

73 

Schools 

Media – Radio Mags 

Newspapers 

Workplaces 

Sexual Health 

Outreach 

Workers 

Community 

Settings 

Social 

Services

5. Plans to improve the monitoring of service uptake by age, gender, 

race 

In ten years time at each point where sexual health information, advice and/or 

contraception can be obtained, monitoring procedures will be in place to 

measure the uptake of services. This will be developed in conjunction with 

service users, NHS Trusts, PCGs and General Practitioners. Where 

appropriate the guidance for evaluation and the toolkit provided by the Health 

Promotion Research Unit will be used. (Sexual Health Services for Yo ung 

People, August 2000). 

6. Cross referral and planning of services to ensure coverage at key 

times and periods such as holidays, weekends etc. 

There will be a cross referral pattern demonstrated on a flowchart which every 

health, social, education and community worker can refer to. The flowchart 

will detail information about services, their availability, and opening hours so 

that any of the above professionals can refer a young person to the 

appropriate place/service. This will link with the Directory of Services referred 

to in the media section of this strategy. 

To ensure continuity of care referral pathways will be used so that with 

permission of the client, relevant information can be shared between other 

professionals and health professionals. It will only be possible to establish 

this procedure via a management agreement. In ten years time, it is 

envisaged that this procedure will be in place and that it will be established by 

using a network of professionals with local knowledge about how it will work in 

practice. 

7. Plans for involving young people in planning, delivery and review 

of services. 

A number of methods by which young people can be involved in the planning, 

delivery and review of services are being considered. The ten-year strategy 

and action plan will be used as a consultation document on which young 

people have been asked to comment. The views of young people will be 

integrated into the document as they consider the plans for contraception 

services herein. 

Some of the possibilities by which young people could be involved in the 

delivery of services are indicated below. At this stage they are only 

possibilities and will not be acted upon until approved by young people, NHS 

Trusts, PCGs, General Practice and other concerned bodies. 

Possibilities for involving young people in the delivery of services: 

74

- A young person may work with sexual health outreach workers as a 

link to vulnerable young people who may otherwise not access a 

service. 

- A young person who has previously used an advice, information 

and/or contraception service may be ‘employed’ as voluntary 

receptionists or they may be employed part-time. 

- A young person could be part of a clinic team and could act as a 

young person’s liaison officer. 

- Linking with Sure Start it may be possible for young people to act as 

parent educators regarding contraception advice. 

- The young person at a clinic may also become the person that 

outside agencies contact on behalf of a young person who wants to 

access an information/advice/contraceptive service. 

- Young people can give advice to professionals via a particular 

group, for instance young people could be drawn from schools, 

youth groups, drop-in centres and as a result of contact with Sexual 

Health Outreach Workers, and could form their own group which 

advises, guides and informs the medical professionals about the 

services offered. 

- These are all possibilities for action in ten years time, they will be 

assessed and those accepted will be formatted and set out in 

procedures for action. 

8. Mechanisms to periodically check/research young peoples level 

of awareness of services and their perceptions and experiences. 

To advertise services a set of procedures must be established which detail 

how the advertising will be funded. For instance, posters of clinic times and 

places must be planned centrally, printed and there must be an agreement 

about who will be responsible for changing them when updated information is 

sent to various agencies/community settings. See Media part of this strategy 

for details of how this is to be achieved. 

To check levels of awareness of services, perceptions and experiences: 

Awareness of services – short questionnaires may be carried out in various 

settings, for example schools, further education colleges, youth clubs, 

residential settings, youth offenders institutions. 

Perceptions and Experiences – use of the evaluation tool kit promoted by the 

Health Promotion Research Unit (August 2000) will enable professionals to 

assess how young people felt about using the information/advice/ 

contraceptive service. 

75

BETTER CONTRACEPTION 3 YEAR PLAN 

Issue S.E.U. 

Action Point 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 13 

Clearer guidance 

for all health 

professionals on 

contraception for 

under 16s 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 13 





under 16s 

Task Planned 

Action/Goals 

1. Implement 1. Develop written 

DoH local guidelines 

guidance for 2. Implement a 

health training programme 

professionals for health 

professionals 

including key 

elements for service 

delivery for under 16 

year olds, e.g. Gillick 

Competence 

3. Liaise with Family 

Planning training 

providers e.g. Teeside 

University 

1. Implement 1. All staff working in 

DoH Family Planning 

guidance for clinics to have regular 

health training in working 

professionals with young people. 

2. School nurses to 

have contraceptive 

awareness training 

Timescale Who/Lead Assumptions/Risks, Comments 

1. 2002/3 

1. 2002/3 

2. 2002/3 

76 

NHS Trust 

Training Leads, 

Specialist 

Health 

Promotion 

Services, PCG 

Training and 

Education 

Forums 

PCGs with 

NHS Trusts. 

Family 

Planning 

Services, 

Midwifes, 

Health Visitors 

Funding to be negotiated 

A timescale for the training will be 

drawn up locally 

Funding to be negotiated


S.E.U. Action 

Point 13 





under 16s 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 13 





under 16s 

1. Implement 

DoH 

guidance for 

health 

professionals 

1. Implement 

DoH 

guidance for 

health 

professionals 

1. Ensure practice 

nurses receive 

appropriate training re 

young people’s 

services. 

2. Ensure 

receptionists receive 

training to assist them 

in dealing 

sympathetically with 

enquiries from young 

people 

1. Encourage GPs to 

attend regular updates 

on service provision 

related to sexual 

health, contraception 

and skills in dealing 

with young people 

including training on 

the local condom 

distribution scheme 

1. 2001 

2. 2001/2003 

1. 2001 & 

ongoing 

77 

PCGs Training 

and Education 

Groups 

PCGs 

This has already begun



Action/Goals 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

1. Effective 

and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Effective 

and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Effective 

and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Development of 

a co-ordinated 

approach to data 

collection 

measuring the 

uptake of 

contraceptive 

services by young 

people 

1. Further develop 

the Teenage 

Parent Peer 

Education Project 

already in one area 

of County Durham 

(Easington) 

1. Develop a 

sexual health 

resource service 

for parents 


Risks, 

1. 2002 

1. Ongoing 

1. 2001 

78 



Co-ordinator/ 

Manager 

Comments 

Use of evaluation 

procedures 

developed by the 

Health Promotion 

Unit 

SHPS Ongoing 

mainstream 

funded 

SHPS

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

1. Effective 

and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Effective 

and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Develop an 

accredited course 

on sexual health 

information for 

young people 

1. Develop a 

sexual health 


for parents around 

communication 

with their 

teenagers/children 

1. 2003 

onwards 

2. April 

2003 

onwards 

79 

SHPS 

PCGs




Action/Goals 


S.E.U. Action 1. Effective and 1. Accessible to all 1. 3 to 10 1. Local 

Point 14 responsible but particularly to year plan Authority, 

youth 

young people at 

NHS Trust, 

contraception special risk e.g. in 

PCG, Sexual 

and advice Looked After 

Health 

services System, asylum 

Outreach 

seekers and 

travellers 

Workers 

2.Teenage 2. 3 to 10 2. Local 

Pregnancy as year plan Authority, 

strategic issue on all 

NHS Trust, 

agendas, Sure Start, 

SRB, Connexions 

etc. 

PCG 

S.E.U. Action 1. Effective and 1.Review 

1. 2001 1. PCGs 1. Ongoing Review 

Point 14 responsible contraceptive advice - 2002 

has begun in the 

youth 

and services run by 

Dales 

contraception GP practices 

and advice 2.Review provision 2. 2001 - 2. PCGs 2. Operational 

services of condoms in 

practices 

2002 

since June 2000 

3.Review provision 3. 2001- 3. PCGs 3. Will need 

of emergency 

contraception by 

pharmacists 

2002 

funding by PCGs 

80


S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

1. Effective and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1.Effective and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1.Effective and 

responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 


responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Develop a 

protocol for the 

consistent follow up 

of young people 

using emergency 

contraception 

2. Review central 

booking pilots in 

county 

1.Extend current 

young peoples 

clinics across the 

county 

1. Review current 

Family Planning 

services and young 

peoples centres (see 

appendix B) 

1. Extend out of 

hours provision to 

practices 

1. 2001/3 

2. 2001/2 

2. 2002/3 

1. 2001 

1. 2002 

81 

1. PCGs with 

Trusts & 

Family 

Planning 

Services 

2. PCGs, 

NHS Trusts 

1. PCGs & 

NHS Trusts 

1. NHS Trust, 

Family 

Planning, 

PCG or 

Subcontract 

to Consultant 

1. Occurs on 

wards. School 

Nurses possibly 

involved 

2. Consider 

outcome of 

evaluation. 

1. Roll-out over 2- 

3 years. 

1. PCGs 1. Collaboration 

between Trusts is 

necessary

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 


responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 


responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. Condoms freely 

available in all 

practices in 

accordance with a 

protocol. 

2. Review condom 

provision in youth 

centres and Further 

Education Colleges. 

3. Investigate 

feasibility of piloting 

condom provision in 

schools via School 

Nurses 

1. Provide 

information & 

support to young 

people at risk of 

pregnancy via 

Sexual Health 

Outreach Worker 

and/or 

Subcontracted 

Services 

2. Raise profile of 

Midwives in giving 

advice on pregnancy 

1. 2001 

2. 2001/2 

3. 2001/3 

1. 2000/4 

2. 2001/4 

82 

1. PCGs 

2. PCGs 

3. PCGs/NHS 

Trusts 

1. SHPS 

2. PCGs, 

NHS Trusts 

1. Base line review 

needed 

2. Provided in 

some areas by 

SHPS 

3. Link to schools 

with highest rates 

of conception 

1. Dependant on 

TPU funding 

2. Partly via cards 

with pregnancy 

testing kits being 

piloted in one area

S.E.U. Action 

Point 14 


responsible 

youth 

contraception 

and advice 

services 

1. School Nurses to 

provide ‘drop in’ 

sessions at 

secondary schools 

for sexual health 

information 

1. 2001/3 

83 

1. School 

Nurses with 

PCG/Trust 

support 

1. Depends on 

support of 

individual schools


Issue S.E.U, 

Action Point 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 15 

Clearer 

guidance for 

all health 

professionals 

on 

contraception 

for under 16s 

Task Planned 

Action/Goals 

1. National 

Helpline – 

Local 

Implications 

1.Work with NHS 

Direct to customise 

information 

2.Maintain accurate 

info. services for 

young people e.g. 

Sexwise 

Timescale Who/Lead Assumptions 

Risks, 

Comments 

Ongoing 1. SHPS 

Ongoing 

84 

2. SHPS


Action/Goals 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

1. Get 

young 

people to 

seek advice 

1. Get 

young 

people to 

seek advice 

1. Get 

young 

people to 

seek advice 

Review accessibility 

of services 

Dedicate funding for 

a post to focus on 

sexual health and 

contraceptive issues 

for young people. 

Focus on intensive 

support for schools, 

FE colleges, Youth 

Service, young 

people in the Looked 

After System and in 

Young Offenders 

Institutions 

1.Develop a strategy 

to increase uptake of 

services by boys and 

young men 


Risks, 

2001-3 PCGs, NHS 

Trusts 

1.Ongoing 

for 3 years 

1. 2001/3 

85 

PCGs with 

partners from 

Education, 

Social 

Services, 

Community 

Education, 

Further 

Education 

Colleges, 

NHS Trusts. 

Comments 

Depends on 

continued 

support from 

partner 

agencies 

PCG May need 

focused work 

with boys and 

young men

Issue Task Planned Action/Goals Timescale Who/Lead Assumptions/ 

Risks, 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 17 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 17 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 17 

1. Publicity 1. Ensure appropriate 

local response to national 

campaigns 

2. Ensure that 

appropriate personnel 

with the appropriate skills 

are in place to work 

across client groups. 

Particularly re boys and 

young men 

1. Publicity 1. Review provision of 

information to young 

people 

2.Provide consistent 

updated information on 

services 

1. Publicity 1.Support awareness 

raising about appropriate 

contraceptive use for 

young people, particularly 

reinforcing the profile of 

condoms 

1.Encourage the growth 

and development of the 

Sexual Health Forum in 

part of the County to 

other areas of the County 

1. Ongoing 

2. 2003/4 

1. 2001/2 

2. 2001 & 

ongoing 

1. 2001 & 

ongoing 

86 

Communications 

SHPS/ Media 

Post 

PCGs, 

SHPS 

Youth and 

Community 

Education 

1. PCGs 

1. 2001/4 SHPS 

2. PCGs/ 

Communications 

Lead 

SHPS/ National 

Campaigns 

Comments 

1. PCGs and 

Steering 

Group at 

County Level 

2. Need time 

to collect, 

collate, update 

and print


Action/Goals 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 13 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

1. Clearer 

Guidance for 

professionals 

1. Get young 

people to seek 

advice 

Ensure 

Confidentiality Tool- 

Kit is being used by 

GPs, PCGs and 

Trusts 

1. Pilot of 

contraception/emerg 

ency contraception 

card in the Dales 

area of county 

2. Pilot of information 

card with pregnancy 

testing kits in one 

area of county, 

Sedgefield 


Risks, 

1. 2001 & 

ongoing 

1. 2001/2 

2. 2001 

87 



1. SHPS, 


Pregnancy Coordinator, 

PCG 

2. PCG Team, 



Comments 

By letter via 

Clinical 

Governance 

Leads 

Will be closely 

evaluated and 

extended to 

non-clinical 

settings

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

S.E.U. Action 

Point 16 

1. Get young 


advice 

1. Get young 


advice 

1. Get young 


advice 

1. Get young 


advice 

1. Development of 

youth centre 

specifically for 

sexual health issues 

Derwentside 

1. Continue support 

of mobile Youth 

Project Bus in 

Darlington. 

1. Continue support 

of Voluntary 

Organisations 

providing 

contraception 

1. Involve young 

people in planning 

and review of 

services 

1. Launch 

Sept 2001 

88 

Sexual Health 


2001/2010 SHPS and 

Community 

Education 

2001/2010 SHPS and 



2001/2010 Teenage 


Encourage 

similar in 

County 

Durham

BETTER SUPPORT FOR 

TEENAGE PARENTS 

90

Better Support For Teenage Parents 


VISION 

In ten years time we will provide a support package to young parents which will 

take account of their differing needs according to ethnicity, faith, cultural needs, 

socio economic circumstances and family support available (the support 

package will ensure that every young parent, male or female, has equal access 

to full-time educational provision). There will be partnership working between 

the Voluntary Sector, Education, Health Care, Social Services and Housing 

Department to provide a choice of opportunities through a range of provision for 

young parents. Multi-agency services designed specifically for young people 

will be accessible and sustainable. Through partnership working young parents 

will still be offered support after the birth of their baby even if that support was 

initially refused by the young person. We will promote the welfare of the young 

parent and child. The young person will be supported as a parent, student/ 

employee and as a sexually active person. 

91

Better Support for pregnant school pupils 

Where we are now – health 

• Information, advice and support relating to options for either continuance 

or termination of the pregnancy, with referral to the appropriate agency, if 

required. 

This information is available from GP’s, School Nurses, family planning 

nurses, Health Visitors and midwives and is on-going. 

• Antenatal care is offered with a choice of venues, i.e. GP, hospital, 

community clinics or home. We will aim to make all venues welcoming to 

young women and teenage mothers. 

• Details of parent/mother craft classes are available from the Community 

Midwife and in some instances, can be specifically set up to encourage 

teenagers to attend. These classes are often set up as required. 

• Information is given on choices available relating to care during 

pregnancy, labour, delivery and post-natal care. 

• Early post-natal support (up to 28 days) is tailored to individual need and 

circumstances (at present under National Review). 

• Initial advice on future family planning and the clinics available, ideally 

are discussed with both teenage parents and can be given by the GP, 

family planning service, midwife, health visitor or school nurse. 


• Young people in the Looked After System receive information on a 

variety of issues in a number of ways including a website, young people 

friendly booklets such as “got the house, now get the knowledge” and 

credit card information packs. 

• Sexual health issues and a directory of services can be integrated into 

these already existing publications. 

• We are looking to develop services for young fathers. Any new provision 

will be evidence based and closely evaluated. 

92

Getting back into education 

• Continue to encourage under 16 year old mothers to resume and 

complete full time education, with support from the appropriate services, 

i.e. child care agencies, support for parents of teenage parents. 

• Continue to offer support through multi-disciplinary agencies, i.e. GP, 

Midwife, health visitor, Home and Hospital Support, Social Services for 

both parents. 

• Continue to offer access to quality, affordable child care as appropriate, 

i.e. out of five local colleges, three have nursery provision from birth 

onwards, one has provision from age two years and one college has no 

provision (details of each college and number of placements below). 

• Continue to provide lessons in parent craft and the development of 

practical skills for all young people in the education system. 

• Individual tailored educational packages following assessment of social 

support required and the educational needs of the young person. 

• To incorporate the Connexions Personal Advisor into the home and 

hospital support service. 

• To continue Lifelong Learning Programme with input from FE and 

Careers Service. 

• To continue to support Sure Start Programmes. 

• To continue with the sex and education programmes in school, enabling 

young people to discuss issues and have access to up-to-date 

information – multi agency support. 

• To continue to promote and extend the child care available in colleges, 

see earlier section. 

• To continue to promote the availability of childcare in the local 

community. Lists of carers available from Social Services. 

• To continue to promote Out of School Hours provision. 

93

Needs, circumstances, culture and ethnicity of young parents 

• Each young person has individual needs. 

• Continue support from multi-agency sources from the young people. 

• Support for the parents of the teenage parents with information and 

advice – in some instances these parents become the child carer, to 

enable the young mother to return to education or employment. 

Mechanisms in place to monitor truancy or exclusion of under school age 

girls known to be pregnant 

Truancy - Education Welfare Officer liasing with schools – on-going. 

- School routine of attendance – on-going 

Exclusion when pregnant 

• The young woman would not be excluded because she was pregnant. 

• Involvement of school nurse to carry out home visit. 

• Health Visitor involvement offering ante natal advice. 

• Midwife involvement providing ante natal and post natal advice and care. 

• Use referral system to the appropriate agency. 

• Develop a close, multi-agency partnership to ensure that young pregnant 

girl and her family have all the relevant information or support needed 

during pregnancy and following the birth of her child. 

The following action plans detail services which aim to reintegrate teenage 

parents into education and give support to them intended to reduce the risk of 

their becoming socially excluded. 

94

BETTER SUPPORT TEN YEAR PLAN 


Action/Goals 

a) Access to 1. Establish 1. Links to Early 

Child Care suitable Years & Childcare 

childcare 

facilities across 

the county 

Development Plan 

b) Access to 1. Establish 1. Links with Early 

parenting discreet Years and Childcare 

education parenting/health 

education 

sessions for the 

younger parent 

Development Plan 

c) Child friendly 1. Affordable 1. Lobby Government 

workplaces care in the 

workplace 

2. Lobby local firms 

d) Forward 1. Continue to 1. Develop strategy 

planning for develop access for future plans 

those who will to health 

be teenagers in services 

10 years time information and 

expand the 

Connexions 

Service 



10 years Reintegration Difficult because of 

Officer and Early geographical spread 

Years Co-ordinator in County Durham 

10 years Health Promotion, 

Reintegration 

Officer 

96 

Currently for under 

16s, could be 

extended to under 

18s 

5-10 years Police Resources required 

10 years LEA/Health/Social 

Services/Voluntary 

Organisations

BETTER SUPPORT 3 YEAR PLAN 


Action/Goals 

a) Accessing 1. Discussion 1. Identify Services 

Services with young 

people. Find 

out what they 

want /need 

currently available 

b) Information 

on services 

available 

c) Multi-agency 

response and 

responsibility. 

d) Co-ordination 

of services 

e) Entitlement 

of range of 

professional 

support. 

1. Produce a 

directory of 

services for 

pregnant 

teenagers under 

18 years 

1. Establish a 

multi-agency 

management 

team. 

1. Appoint a 



Support Co- 

ordinator 

1. Vision 

statement. 

2. Inform 

schools 

1. Seek information 

from each agency – 

identify gaps 

1. Establish a multiagency 

management 

team. 

1. To ensure the 

capture of young 

people not in 

education or 

excluded 

1. Write statement. 

2. Write protocols 

with other agencies 



1. 2001-2 Teenage Ethnic 

Pregnancy Co- minorities/special 

ordinator and 

Multi-agency 

support 

needs 

1. 2002/3 

1. 2001/2 

97 

Multi-agency, 


pregnancy Coordinator 

and 

support coordinator 

Local Teenage 

Pregnancy Coordinator. 

Will make agencies 

aware of their own 

services 

Full commitment 

required 

1. 2001/4 Health Authority Funding available – 

recurring with review 

2001/2 Advisory Reintegration 

officer. 

Needs the cooperation 

of all 

agencies

f) Completion of 

education 

g) Support for 

pregnant 

teenagers 

1. Compile 

database 

1. Develop 

further links with 

specialist 

agencies 

h) Special Units 1. To ensure 

childcare 

provision links 

to existing 

services 

i) Life Long 

Learning 

j) Education on 

prevention of 

teenage 

pregnancies 

1. Career/FE 

input 

1. Promote 

contraception 

care and 

services 

k) Sure Start 1. Expand and 

develop Sure 

Start 

programme for 

young people 

who are parents 

1. Keep records on all 

girls countywide 

1. Establish links 

between Connexions 

Service and Home 

and Hospital support 

team 

1. Ensure that 

pregnant schoolgirls 

who choose to remain 

in mainstream 

education have same 

access to services 

1. Every girl to have 

interviews for careers. 

(University) 

1. Expand education 

programme in 

schools, youth clubs. 

1. Review existing 

programmes 

2 Years LEA/Sexual health Chase liaison 

with schools 

2 years Connexion and Early stage 

HSSS Team. discussions 

underway 

2 years Education/ 

Health/Social 

Services 

Ongoing 

98 

Recognise that 

units can be 

centres of 

inclusion where 

range of provision 

can be accessed 

(rather than 

exclusive) 

Integration Officer Attendance of 

pupils vital. 

Now LEA and Health 

Promotion 

3 years Sure Start Coordinator 

& Teenage 


Sexual Health 


to liase with 

schools and 

voluntary 

agencies 

Will programmes 

continue beyond 

3 years

l) Access to 

childcare 

m) Homeless 

Young People 

n) Asylum 

Seekers 

o) Children in 

Prostitution 

1.Establish 

affordable, 

flexible childcare 

units outside 

schools 

Reduce 

likelihood of 

social exclusion 

Develop further 

support 

Offer support & 

protection to the 

young people at 

risk of/ currently 

involved in 

prostitution 

1. Liaise with Early 

Years and Childcare 

Team to determine 

needs 

Strengthen links with 

relevant agencies to 

support homeless 

young people re: 

housing needs, 

education/training 

needs 

Review 

arrangements and 

ensure guidelines are 

in place for 

supporting young 

people who are 

asylum seekers 

Review 

arrangements in line 

with government 

guidelines 

3 years Social Services/ 

Education 

2001/4 County Steering 

group/ Better 

Support Group 

2001/4 County Steering 

Group & Better 

Support Groups. 

2001/4 County Durham 

Social Service 

Department 

99 

Sure Start in 

some areas

BETTER SUPPORT HOUSING 

Issue Task Planned Action/Goals Who/Lead Assumptions/ 


a) Young mother and Unable to live with 1. Supported Housing available Housing 

child – under 18 years her family or partner 

b) Young mother and Not yet ready to live 1. Supported housing available Housing 

child – under 18 years semi-independently 

c) Young mother and Promote father’s 1. Outreach support available Housing 

father and child - 

under 18 years 

active involvement 

d) Promote welfare Develop settled living 1. To prevent adverse impact Housing 

for the child and arrangements upon pregnant and future life, 

mother 

chances of young mother, 

education/employment 

e) Support for mother Co-operation and 1.Times flexible and as 

Housing/ 

and child 

support from other 

agencies 

appropriate 

Health 

f) Cross-boundary 1. To develop 1. To enable young person to Housing Changes in benefits could adversely 

working between sustainable facilities move from supervised semi- 

affect a couple under 18 in terms of 

LA’s/Supported 

independent housing with support 

housing and support 

housing projects/ and 

to appropriate and safe 

all housing agencies, 

accommodation close to family 

i.e. Housing 

partner/friends with 

Association and 

outreach/floating support, to 

Private Landlords 

promote fully independent living, 

maximising individual choice 

g) Youth 

To ensure that young Promote inter-agency co- Centre 

Homelessness people’s needs are operation to prevent and address Point, Multi 

met appropriately, youth homelessness 

agency 

locally 

working 

100

101

Housing Support 

We recognise the importance of a pregnant teenager having a healthy 

environment to live in and for the baby to be born into. A settled living 

arrangement is more likely to contribute to social inclusion and positive life 

chances of the mother and her child. 

By 2010 we aim to have a range of supported accommodation for those 

mothers under 18 who cannot live with their family or partner. The range of 

accommodation will include supported semi-independent living with floating 

outreach support. Where a mother is aged 18-25 and needs supported housing, 

she will be included in such projects. 

Where fathers remain involved with the mother and child, every encouragement 

will be given to promote his active involvement. 

Housing plans in county Durham are currently being developed in more detail at 

a local level. The local co-ordinator will work with Local Housing Authorities, 

Housing Associations and young people to establish need and plan provision 

within government guidelines. 

102

103

CONSULTATION WITH YOUNG 

PEOPLE 

104

Consultation with Young People in County 


• In County Durham we remain committed to the concept that young 

people need to be part of the debate about how we move forward in 

tackling teenage pregnancy. 

• This document follows the very focused guidelines issued by the 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit and has been produced in a very limited 

timeframe dictated by the Government. In order to make the 

consultation with young people in County Durham meaningful 

consultation is still ongoing. We have involved young people in 

consultation in County Durham since the strategy was assessed by the 

Teenage Pregnancy Unit in the following ways: 

By consulting with the young people at End House Young People’s Centre at 

the next youth forum, and by consulting with the young people in the Investing 

in Children Project. The comments from the two groups are now included. 

105

Results of Consultations with Young People’s Groups about 

the County Durham Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Strategy 

The Investing in Children Group based in Pity Me, Durham, was consulted via 

co-ordinator Liam Cairns. The Investing in Children initiative seeks to support 

children and young people to comment on issues of importance to them. The 

Investing in Children Initiative assists groups of children and young people who 

want to become actively involved in dialogue with decision makers about how 

things might change. 

The first comment about the strategy was, that because it had to be compiled 

in the way it was to comply with TPU guidelines, the strategy was not young 

people user friendly. The group felt that the strategy could have been written 

in a less complex way which would have made it more understandable for 

young people as well as professionals. They would like to see one list of all the 

new things planned to help prevent teenage pregnancy and support teenage 

parents. They would like a list of how the aims were to be met, as a list rather 

than as the action plans included in the strategy. 

Comments about sex and relationships education included the need for 

teacher training. The young people believed that teachers needed specific 

training in how to teach sex and relationships education. They talked about 

the negative effects of embarrassed teachers preventing discussion in class 

about SRE and the effect on children and young people that they then would 

not feel confident to speak about sex and relationships. 

Related to the media section and publicising services, the group had a lot of 

ideas about where to use information cards and posters, some of which were 

included in the strategy, some were not. The strategy outlines the use of 

posters and credit card information cards to be used on the back of toilet doors 

and in public areas, where young people can easily access the information. 

Fast food restaurants and other public areas were suggested in the strategy. 

The young people suggested that public areas in leisure centres such as 

waiting areas, queuing areas, changing rooms and toilets could all be used, so 

that young people could access information privately and that this could be 

done in places like pubs, leisure centres, cinemas, bowling alleys, possibly 

train stations and bus stations, telephone boxes and schools. The young 

people specifically suggested that the cards be reinforced so that they would 

keep in a good state for longer. 

When the young people disused the directory of services, they suggested that 

the directory be divided according to towns or localities, so that young people 

could easily access their relevant information especially as County Durham is 

divided up into six Primary Care Group areas, this seems particularly relevant. 

Consultation in County Durham was also conducted with Durham Young 

People’s Centre, End House, Durham, via Co-ordinator Mandy Taylor. This 

group of young people included some teenage mums. Again the group was 

particularly interested in the media campaign and spent most of the 

consultation time discussing that. In relation to posters, this group suggested 

using bus shelters, bus tickets and adverts inside buses to advertise local 

106

services and or Sexual Health Outreach Workers and their contact points. 

They also suggested using the free postcard stands, which are now quite 

widespread in places such as cinemas, clubs and pubs. They specifically 

talked about nightclubs, which have under eighteen nights, schools and 

libraries as suggested venues. The group also made suggestions about a 

local radio campaign and suggested particular radio stations which may be of 

use and which would reach young people. The group also suggested the use 

of one leaflet which concertinas down to the size of a credit card, but which 

contains information about contraception, sexual health services as well as 

other things such as entertainment venues, youth clubs, cinemas etc. This 

concertina leaflet could be divided into different sections, each section giving 

details of a different geographical area and its services in County Durham and 

Darlington, so that as well as there being individual leaflets per PCG area, 

there would also be one county-wide leaflet which would include sexual health 

information, but as part of a broader content. 

In relation to the housing strategy, young people were concerned that if there 

were one specific site, which housed teenage parents, it would lead to 

stigmatisation and stereotyping. They favoured semi-independent housing 

and floating support workers. They also favoured links between the young 

people housed in such accommodation so that an informal network of social 

support was available in a self-help way. 

Consultation with groups of young people in County Durham is still on going. 

We recognise that this consultation is limited, but is a starting point on which to 

build and develop plans using young people’s ideas about what they would like 

to see to help tackle teenage pregnancy. 

• We will move forward by connecting with the agenda that young people 

see as important linked to the issued raised by the Teenage Pregnancy 

Unit and planned for by relevant joined up working in County Durham. 

107

PART B 

ANNUAL REPORT 

2000/2001 

108

Annual Report 2000/2001 

Joined Up Action 

In County Durham and Darlington Health Authority a local Co-ordinator was 

appointed and took up the post on 1 st November 2000. The co-ordinator has 

been responsible for ensuring that strategic planning with key stakeholders 

occurred and that decision-making groups met to begin planning strategy 

development. A Countywide Steering Group was established and sub groups 

were developed from it to specifically consider key areas of the Darlington 

Strategy and County Durham Strategy. 

Decision making groups were formed around the key areas of: 

Better sex and relationship education. 

Better contraception and advice services. 

Better support for teenage parents. 

The groups met twice to agree terms of reference, to establish that 

membership was appropriate and to ensure that representatives of all relevant 

agencies were represented. Membership of the groups demonstrated joint 

partnership working is detailed in part A, section 1 of the local strategy 

document. During these initial meeting formulas for strategy development were 

discussed. 

It was agreed that half day working sessions would be held to kick-start the 

joint working and to develop strategic vision and action planing. The working 

sessions led to the strategy and three-year action plans contained in the 

strategy which also identified lead responsibilities. It was possible to agree on 

those leads as each working/discussion making group was a multi-agency 

group representing Health, Education, Social Services and voluntary sector as 

appropriate. 

It was agreed that consultation with a wider group of key stake holders would 

be held on production of the draft strategies for County Durham and 

Darlington, and that feedback from the consultation stage would further inform 

both the strategies and the work of the decision making groups. 

It has also been agreed that the steering group and other decision making 

groups (as detailed above) will reconvene quarterly to assess the and monitor 

the progress made by agencies and to ensure that the three year action plans 

are being delivered. 

Partnership arrangements (other than the joined up working via multi-agency 

groups) were also agreed in the year 2000/2001. County Durham and 

Darlington Health Authority agreed partnership working with: 

• Community Education in County Durham – for training and support for 

youth workers. 

• The University of Durham – to fund research in to parents as educators. 

109

• Darlington Borough Council – to support the Sex Education Roadshow and 

to support the part time outreach worker supporting teenage parents. 

Action and Achievements 

• Appointment of Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Local Implementation Coordinator 

for County Durham and Darlington. (This will change to having 

two co-ordintors 2001/2002, one for County Durham and one for 

Darlington). 

• Allocation of funds to each PCG area to appoint a Sexual Health Outreach 

Worker. In two localities, it was more appropriate to sub contract the work 

and this was achieved. 

• University of Durham are partway through a Parents as Educators Action 

Research Project and have produced an interim report which is available 

locally. 

• County Durham have appointed a Sexual Health Trainer who is currently 

working with youth workers. 

• Darlington Social Services Department have employed an outreach worker 

to support teenage parents. 

• Other actions taken since the march 2000 report were published these are 

detailed in the Audit of Current Services in part A, section 3 of the strategy 

document. 

Local Implementation Funding 

The allocation of funding from the Teenage Pregnancy Unit Local 

Implementation Fund for 2000/2001 was £200,000. It was allocated as follows: 

• Local Implementation Co-ordinator plus admin support - £35K 

• Outreach workers managed by Specialist Health Promotion Service but 

with strong links with the Youth Service - £115K 

(This allocation of money was topped up by the six Primary Care Groups 

funds to the effect of £36K to ensure that the full costs of each post were 

met.) 

• Parents As Educators Action Research - £27K 

• Training and Support for Youth Workers(County Durham) - £15K 

• Training and Support for Youth Workers(Darlington) - £8K 

• Support for Darlington specific local authority services - £8K 

110

Impact of funding 

• The Local Implementation Co-ordinator, guided by the steering group has 

worked in partnership with the representatives from Health, Education, 

Social Services and the Voluntary Sector to produce two strategy 

documents in line with the Teenage Pregnancy Unit guidance.. As they 

were not in post until 1 st November 200, this has been the major project on 

which their time has so far been spent. 

• The Sexual Health Outreach Workers have each made major inroads into 

working with groups of vulnerable and at risk young people in areas with 

high rates of teenage conceptions. 

• The Parents As Educators project is at the stage where all the data has 

now been collected and a useful interim report is available locally. 

• The Community Education Worker in County Durham and the Outreach 

Worker in Darlington are both newly in post but are establishing themselves 

in their roles and have had many positive comments made about them by 

their employers. 

Problems and Solutions 

• The major barriers faced in producing the strategy has been the very 

limited time between the local Implementation Co-ordinator taking up post 

on 1 st November 2000 and the deadline for submission of the strategy of 

30 th March 2001. 

• To ensure that partnerships had joined up working established and 

operating in reality, time first had to be invested in building relationships 

between the co-ordinator and the groups as well as between the group 

members. 

• This meant that the actual work to produce the ten year strategy and three 

year action plan was limited to approximately one month with the same 

amount of time available to physically write the two strategies. 

• The consultation stage was the also very limited so that the co-ordinator 

had enough time to incorporate any changes and comments. 

• This has been a very challenging time frame in which to produce a vital 

document and one of extreme importance. 

Support to ensure effective implementation 

• The over riding concern shared by professional in all agencies is the issue 

of staff training and of backfill for health/ social services /voluntary staff and 

supply cover for teaching/educational staff. This concern is shared by staff 

at all levels of seniority. 

111

• If policy at national level could address this need, it would make staff 

training locally a more viable proposition. 

PART C 

TEENAGE PREGNANCY 

LOCAL 

IMPLEMENTATION 

FUND 

112

Teenage Pregnancy Unit Local Implementation Fund 

Source and Application of Funds Statement 

Sources of 

Finance 

TPU Local 

Implementation 

Fund (LIF) 

TPU Co-ordination 

Fund 

DFEE Standards 

Fund 

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Status Application of 

Funds 

£250,000 £250,000 £250,000 Indicative • 6 x Sexual 

Allocation Health Outreach 

Workers - £150,000 

• Media/advertisin 

g of services - 

£18,000 

• Community 

Education County 

Durham and 

Darlington - 

£12,000 

• Co-ordination, 

conferences, 

Training and 

Development fund - 

£10,000 

• PCG allocation to 

be spent in liaison 

with local 

authorities and 

voluntary agencies 

- £60,000 (£10,000 

per PCG area) 

£60,000 £60,000 £60,000 Approved Two co-ordinators, 

one for County 

Durham and one for 

Darlington 

£94,000 Unknown Unknown Approved • Support for 

teenage parents 

thus: Reintegration 

Officer and Child 

Care 

• 8 schools receive 

funds to help 

reduce teenage 

pregnancy rates 

113

114

PART D 

CERTIFICATE OF 

AGREEMENT AND 

PARTNERSHIP 

115

116

Conclusion 

• Following very clear guidelines produced by the Teenage Pregnancy Unit, 

this strategy has been developed using multi-agency working groups, 

demonstrating joined up working in County Durham and Darlington. 

• This document details a ten year vision and strategy together with a three 

year action plan for each of the following four areas: 

• Local Media Campaign 

• Better Sex & Relationships Education 

• Better Contraception & Advice Services 

• Better Support for Teenage Parents. 

• The annual report details how Teenage Pregnancy Unit Local 

Implementation Funds have been spent 200-2001. 

• Part C details how the local implementation funds will be spent 2001-2002. 

Finally a huge debt of thanks is paid to all those people who aided the 

development and writing of this report. Members of the Steering Group 

and working groups have played a vital role. Particular thanks go to cowriter 

Irene Bell, Health Consultant. Thanks also to Beverley Palmer, 

Health Promotion Manager, Darlington Primary Care Group for managerial 

input and to Ceri Mather, Health Promotion Strategist for professional and 

personal support during the writing of the County Durham and Darlington 

Tackling Teenage Pregnancy Strategies. 

117

County Durham Local Teenage Pregnancy Strategy - Full Document

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