TEENAGE pregnancy rates are continuing to fall in Bradford.
According to the latest Government figures, Bradford has the lowest rate for conceptions among under-18s in West Yorkshire. There was an average of 28.9 conceptions per 1,000 girls aged under-18 between 2011 and 2013, compared to 31.1 in 2010/12 and 34.7 in 2009/11.
Councillor Ralph Berry, the council’s executive member for children and young people’s services, said: “This fall is the result of hard work by teachers, health workers, carers and parents.”
The head of public health for the local authority Ralph Saunders said: “Relationships and sex education for teenagers is a long-term strategy.It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure young people also have the confidence to have open discussions so they make the right choices.”
A partnership involving children’s services, public health, the NHS and others has helped reduce the number of teenage conceptions over the last 12 years.
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