August, 2006
Cllr. RobertSimpson
Chair – Staffordshire Teenage Pregnancy Partnership
Staffordshire County Council
County
Building
Headquarters
Martin Street
Stafford
Staffordshire ST16 2LH
Dear Robert,
SUBJECT: Staffordshire Teenage Pregnancy Annual Report Feedback From the meeting held on 17th July 2006.
Thank you for submitting your Annual Report Summary 2005-06 and attending the feedback meeting with LesleyGerhardt – Staffordshire Teenage Pregnancy Strategy Manager/Co-ordinator and SueMulroy – Staffordshire Teenage Pregnancy Implementation Officer. I hope that this process will help us to agree a “snapshot” position statement for Staffordshire Teenage Pregnancy that can be shared with colleagues locally, within Government Office and NHS West Midlands.
Arising from our discussion I have summarised:
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StaffordshireTeenage Pregnancy Partnership’sstrengths
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Areas for concern currently
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The focus for the next 18 months.
A copy of this letter will also go to Lesley, Sue, JohnRobertson and Kaye Whyte-Bell at Government Office and VanessaBarrettat NHS West Midlands.
Current Position
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Reduction in under 18 conceptions 1998 – 2004: 20%
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Traffic light rating: GREEN
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Teenage Pregnancy Grant: £302K
Staffordshire has exceeded its 2004 target of a 15% reduction by achieving a 20% decline and is rated GREEN.
Its strategic approach focuses on information management, performance management and contracting. Through its clear structure and leadership it has strong links strategically and with commissioning and strong governance through yourself as Chair and lead member for Children’s Services. The partnership’s approach includes developmental work in youth services and young people’s participation.
As we head to March 2008 (the term of the current Teenage Pregnancy grant) it is important that Service Level Agreements are put in place regarding service delivery by the PCT and Early Years and that pick up beyond April 2008 is agreed. Similarly, a review of pick up for posts; e.g. young parent advisors, is needed. Although there is an expectation that some development work will be funded via the PCT LDP, contingency plans need to be in place should funding not be made available. The current Teenage Pregnancy action plan demonstrates links to other plans and is a model of good practice in bringing together Teenage Pregnancy in the context of other planned activity and demonstrates a more streamlined approach strategically.
The Teenage Pregnancy Partnership has full terms of reference document modelled on those used in a city council and by the Children’s Trust board.
Tamworth
is piloting a common assessment framework and in order for this to relate to the Teenage Pregnancy agenda clear leadership is needed in PCT commissioning and provision of midwifery. Staffordshire have developed some innovative work around hospital based birth registration which for clients brings services together in a much more relevant way. Similarly, Registrars are now giving out young mums packs.
Staffordshire promotes prevention and this year is making £2.2m available to invest to save. Investment in community learning partnership (pilot in Stafford Children’s Centre) brings services into localities. Further work is needed within the PCT to prioritise this agenda and demonstrate it through, for example, the Public Health role of the school nurse, workforce development for front line staff and specialist practitioners and the quality outcomes framework. This issue needs to be raised with the new Chief Executives and Chairs as they come into post.
A full review of termination services, including post termination support, is needed in conjunction with service specification, quality standards and Service Level Agreement revision.
A Service Level Agreement (SLA) regarding services delivered by Early Years and the youth services is being developed. We had some discussion about links more widely with deprived communities, vulnerable groups and emotional health and well being, but were reminded that the sexual health agenda is also a national priority.
Although there is some work in place regarding BME communities, families seeking asylum and refugees, it is important that all service provision monitors ethnicity and language needs appropriately so that service user needs can be identified and appropriate resources made available. As you chair the Multi Cultural Board, there may be resources available to support work on this.
Further work is needed to address the problem of unplanned further pregnancies, which are currently increasing and this work needs to be delivered in conjunction with partner agencies and support for young parents to access education, training and employment.
Though the locality based structure works well with this agenda, limited capacity via youth services means that other opportunities need to be explored. With the potential loss of pastoral responsibility in schools, Teenage Pregnancy prevention and support issues may become less integrated into the curriculum activity and this issue needs to be addressed.
We discussed LAA targets and agreed that what is needed is a specified target reduction of under 16 and/or under 18 rates in specified hotspot areas which demonstrate a decrease of more than 50% from the 1998 base line. If achieved this would have a huge impact on Staffordshire’s rates as a whole.
From this month, the responsibility for Teenage Pregnancy will be picked up by Government Office, as unfortunately Alice is still on sick leave. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you and your colleagues for your unending hard work and commitment to this issue. It has been a joy working with you again over the past four months.
Best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Jan
Norton
Acting Regional Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator
cc
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Lesley
Gerhardt
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Sue
Mulroy
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John
Robertson
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Rob
Willoughby
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Vanessa
Barrett
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Graham
Urwin