Responses to the report and discussion

1. Responses to the report and discussion Honor Rhodes Director of Development Family and Parenting Institute

2. Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes Director of Development & Innovation Family and Parenting Institute rhodes@familyandparenting.org

3. What do they say? You are not doing very well in helping us understand What do they want? More, better, earlier, parents too Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

4. Lazy if we say Teenage parents and we really mean mothers What does the teenage father need? Bollywood postcards? Awaredressers? Nottingham’s offer Darren wanted to be included, he has had to fight hard and did not succeed completely Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

5. What seems to work in supporting young parents best? Bournemouth, http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8602355 F-risky, Outreach, Schools, 13-14 year olds as target group Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

6. Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences • Unfair to pick on Bracknell but… This virtual GUM Clinic tour is much better used and informative http://www.thesite.org/audioandvideo/video/sexandrelationships/gumclinicvirtualtour Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

7. Can we change human behaviours? Yes we can If we make it all our responsibility, healthy schools is a great start, like Rochdale.. http://www.beacons.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8511208 They knew it was complicated and would need lots of people doing many things, some proven and some new, all evaluated, do you? Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

8. Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences • Key to lasting success in preventing teenage pregnancy is helping parents talk easily, freely and often with their children about human relationships and sex… • Speakeasy is a great course, there are others too http://www.fpa.org.uk/community/speakeasy/ • And lots of books Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

9. Schools are crucial in so many ways What about young women in care or looked after by local authorities? Alcohol and drugs issues are woven in here too, does your local strategy talk convincingly about these? Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

10. Again perhaps not as helpful as it could be Social marketing has lifted off, get on board quickly Terry (14) thought this was not very helpful at all, what feedback do you take? Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

11. Not succumbing to moral panics What we need is local leadership, political neutrality (not Broken Britain), using what works and knowing for whom Understanding what works in prevention is not all the same for young men and young women and that age/maturity matters more than we had previously thought Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Supply your Red Top banner headline here…. Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

12. Young families require holistic support from a few trusted advisors, Health Visitors remain a constant in the top 3, but what about the wider families resources, offering the complex and painful..couple therapy? Attachment work, as well as the usual.. The discovery that doing two things at the same time may make a bigger difference than we thought Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

13. Do you have the time to look in the biggest library in the world? No? better make some then… Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences http://www.preventionaction.org/ Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

14. I think we need more than luck.. Have a look at your local Family Information Service, would it do the business? If not how can you help them change? Find Support Many teen parents feel that they are unsupported as they attempt to cope with caring for a child and the other demands of their lives, and most find great support from belonging to a group of other lone parents in a similar situation. If you think that you might like to meet with other people who understand what you are going through, contact your local authority to ask if such groups exist and keep your eyes open to community notice-boards and newspapers that might carry ads for such groups. Logging on to see if there are any websites devoted to teen or lone parent groups in your area is also a smart idea. If nothing else there are many sites devoted to teen parents regardless of their locations and you might find support and inspiration from them. Good luck! http://www.teenissues.co.uk/coping-as-a-teenage-parent.html Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

15. Some things don’t seem to work well at all Age of facilitator or helper is not a critical factor although peer mentoring is building a good body of evidence It is the attitude and capacity to form a relationship that is key in engagement and generating a willingness to listen and talk Not everyone can or should do this work, and those who do need excellent supervision and ongoing professional development Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

16. Amy, who says she was "kicked out" of Ormesby Secondary school for bad behaviour last year, said: "I don't feel like a mum yet, I think when they come home it will hit me. "I'm a bit scared because I'm still a baby myself." But Marley told her: "You're not like you used to be, you're more mature now we have got the babies to look after." Marley is waiting to hear back after sending out three job applications. Amy would like to go to college when the triplets are older after missing out on her GCSEs. The one thing that they are both certain about is on the prospect of having more children http://blogadmin.icnetwork.co.uk/ts3/2008/12/middlesbrough_teenage_parents.html Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

17. Challenge to commissioners How will they know? Local Teenage Pregnancy strategies, are they good enough? Joined up enough? Research based? Had a look at the NICE guidelines? Not very illuminating and a bit stable door, bolting horse… http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/PHI3 Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org

18. What we all want is an emotionally rich and secure childhood for every child A happy, healthy planned pregnancy for every parent/couple A couple relationship for every couple who can be supported to be work together to create, sustain and struggle with one Teenage pregnancies: reducing negative and unwanted consequences Need a good book? Try this…. Honor Rhodes, rhodes@familyandparenting.org