It is over 15 years since the then government launched its Teenage Pregnancy Strategy in response to England having one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in Western Europe. Since then, thanks to the hard work of councils and their partners, the under-18 conception rate has dropped by 60 per cent and the proportion of teenage mothers in education and training has doubled.
As time has gone by it has become clear what works. Evidence shows that high quality relationships and sex education (RSE), welcoming health services (in the right place, open at the right time) and friendly non-judgmental staff, help young people to delay sex until they are ready and to use contraception effectively.