§ Baroness Gould of Potternewtonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How many local co-ordinators have been appointed to implement the policy set out in the Social Exclusion Unit's teenage pregnancy report; and what training or guidance they will receive. [HL1290]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath)The Teenage Pregnancy Unit has to date received notification of 132 local co-ordinators, jointly identified by health and local authorities. The local co-ordinators are to work to local education authority/social services boundaries: there are 150 such authorities in England. The unit will follow up those areas that have not yet provided notification of their co-ordinator.
The unit issued detailed advice on the role of the local co-ordinators to health and local authority chief executives on 7 January. The unit also held a conference for local co-ordinators on 1 March to facilitate networking and exchange of best practice. The unit will continue to provide practical support for the local co-ordinators, and will keep their training needs under review.