Teenage pregnancy can be both a cause and a consequence of social exclusion and is more common in areas of deprivation. The poorer outcomes associated with teenage motherhood also mean the effects of deprivation and social exclusion are passed from one generation to the next.

Evidence clearly shows that having children at a young age can damage young women’s health and emotional well-being, and severely limit their education and career prospects, resulting in increased levels of poverty and social exclusion. Research show that children born to teenagers are more likely to experience a range of negative outcomes in later life, and are up to three times more likely to become a teenage parent themselves. Most young parents do not regret having their children but wish they had waited until they were older.

The challenge for Nottinghamshire, therefore, is to provide young people with the means to avoid early pregnancy, but also to tackle the underlying circumstances that motivate young people to want to, or lead them passively to become pregnant or young parents at a young age.

The Nottinghamshire Children’s Trust Teenage Pregnancy Joint Commissioning Group has developed a joint commissioning strategy for 2012-14 to reduce levels of teenage conceptions amongst young people in Nottinghamshire as well as support pregnant teenagers and teenage parents effectively to improve their outcomes.

The Equality Impact Assessment for the Nottinghamshire Teenage Pregnancy Joint Commissioning Strategy is available to view.

For more information about the Nottinghamshire Teenage Pregnancy Joint Commissioning Strategy please contact the Children’s Trust on tel: 0115 9774431 or email: childrens.trust@nottscc.gov.uk