Consultation on the Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy

Date: 21st July 2015
Category: Parental responsibilities, Parental guidance, Disability, Basic Health and Welfare

This consultation seeks views on a range of actions in relation to the development of a Strategy focused on pregnancy and parenthood amongst young people.

The aim is for the Strategy to increase the choices and opportunities available to young people which will support their wellbeing and prosperity across the life course. The proposed Strategy addresses pregnancy in young people with actions focused on the wider environmental and social influences and individual experiences which effect inequalities.

The aim of consultation is to ensure young people and professionals who work with or are responsible for making decisions that affect young people are aware of the draft strategy, what this involves for them and have an opportunity to influence the draft Strategy.

• Access the Consultation paper on the Pregnancy and Parenthood in Young People Strategy here.

There continues to be a strong correlation between deprivation and teenage pregnancy. The most deprived areas have a birth rate nearly 12 times higher than the least deprived areas, and nearly twice the rate of abortion. Scottish Government is clear that improvements in sexual health will require a multi-agency approach that cannot be addressed through interventions delivered in specialist sexual health services alone. Poor sexual health and high levels of teenage pregnancies are symptomatic of wider health inequalities.

Together has recommended that the Scottish Government ensures that a multi-agency approach is taken to improve the provision of sexual health services that recognises wider health inequalities and is informed by the views and experiences of young people.

• Find out more in Together's recently published report which was submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child on 1st July 2015.