Teenage pregnancy rate continues to fall in Hackney
New figures released today show the number of teenage pregnancies in Hackney is continuing to fall.
The Public Health England statistics report a 6.2 per cent drop in the teenage pregnancy rate during 2012, which follows a 26.4 per cent drop the year before. Since the national teenage pregnancy strategy was launched in 2000, the under-18 conception rate in Hackney and the City has fallen by a total of 63.8 per cent.
Hackney’s young people are taking responsibility for their own sexual health and more and more of them are making sensible choices about contraception. These figures are a credit to the work of the many health and education professionals, volunteers and partners in our borough who are working together to provide first rate information and services to help young people get the support they need.
Hackney’s work to reduce teenage pregnancy includes supporting schools to improve their sex and relationships education, dedicated clinical services for teenagers and safer sex advice with free condoms via pharmacies, youth services and clinics.
Hackney is part of the London-wide condom distribution scheme called “Come Correct” which provides access to free condoms in a variety of outlets, such as pharmacies, youth clubs and colleges across the borough. Over the last 12 months, more than 80,000 free condoms have been provided to under-25s in the borough. Once a young person has registered they can collect free condoms or get advice from any participating outlet displaying the Come Correct logo. Outlets are all listed online and an app with the same information will be available soon.
City and Hackney Young People’s Service (CHYPS) provides a weekday walk-in advice service for teens and runs a weekly clinic at youth hubs. Young people who would like free sexual health information and advice can contact CHYPS.