Teenage Pregnancy

The Social Exclusion Report on Teenage Pregnancy (June 1999) stated that Britain had the worst record of teenage pregnancies in Europe with approximately 90,000 teenagers becoming pregnant every year. Every part of the country is affected, but the situation is worst in the poorest areas. The report highlighted two main goals:

• reducing the rate of teenage conceptions, with the specific aim of halving the rate of conceptions among under 18s by 2010

• getting more teenage parents into education, training or employment, to reduce the risk of long term social exclusion.

In Westminster, we are committed to preventing a rise in the teenage pregnancy rate, through improved Sex and Relationship Education (SRE), a network of Sexual Health Clinics targeting young people, Locality Young Peoples Services who can support teenage parents to access services via the Youth Hubs, and Childrens Centres who can provide a wide range of support and activities for Parents and under 5s.

Local Services

In Westminster there are two sexual health services just for young people.

They both provide CONFIDENTIAL advice on sexual health for people aged 19 and under. Services you can access include free condoms and other contraception, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, safer sex and sexuality information.

Both services are drop ins - so you don't need an appointment.

Cont@ct at Victoria Clinic

2nd Floor

South Westminster Centre for Sexual Health

82 Vincent Square

London SW1P 2PF

Tel: 0845 811 6699

Open 3.30-4.30pm Monday to Friday

Nearest tubes: St James' Park (district and circle lines) or Victoria (victoria, district and circle lines).

ARC at Winsland Clinic

1st Floor

Jefferiss Wing

St Mary's Hopsital

Praed Street

London W2 1NY

Tel: 020 7886 6626

Open 3-5pm on Tuesday

Nearest tubes: Paddington (Hammersmith & City, district, circle and bakerloo lines) or Edgware Road (Hammersmith & City, district and circle lines)

There are also other sexual health and contraceptive services in the borough available to people of any age. Cont@ct or ARC will be able to direct you to these.

Websites / Help Lines

The following websites includes information on sexual health, relationships, teenage pregnancy and lots of other useful stuff including information on clinics.

www.ruthinking.co.uk / 0800 28 29 30

www.brook.org.uk / 0800 0185 023