New figures show prevention work is paying off
Figures recently released by the Office of National Statistics show Merton’s teenage pregnancy rate is at its lowest since they were first recorded in 1998.
Merton now has the fastest declining rate in outer London and is below the national average for the capital and England.
The borough’s conception rate for those aged under 18 has dropped 61.4% since 1998 and now stands at 19.7 births out of every 1,000 from 51, 15 years ago. Last year, there were 60 teenage pregnancies compared to 135 in 1998.
Merton’s acting cabinet member for children’s services, Councillor Judy Saunders, said: “This is a great achievement for all services in the borough who work in partnership to educate and advise our young people.
“At Merton, we are dedicated and committed to teenage pregnancy prevention and our support work is paying off. Reducing the teenage pregnancy rate means more young women are more likely to complete their education and have better prospects.”
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March 18, 2016