The Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England [PDF], which ran from 1999-2010, led to a 70% reduction in the under-18 conception rate (1998-2022). There has been a similar decline in the under-16 conception rate. Both rates are at the lowest level for over 40 years.

However, at a national level England's teenage birth rate remains higher than levels in comparable Western European countries and progress in reducing rates varies considerably between local areas. There is a seven-fold difference in the under-18 conception rate between local authorities and 60% of local areas have at least one ward with a rate significantly higher than England. Since 2010, successive Governments have asked local areas to maintain their focus as part of tackling inequalities and maximising the life chances for young people and giving every child the best start in life.

Continuing to reduce the rate of under-16 and under-18 conceptions is one of four priority areas in the Department of Health's Sexual Health Improvement Framework. The under-18 and under-16 conception rates remain indicators in the Public Health Outcomes Framework (PHOF) and are measures in the local Fingertips Profiles on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Child and Maternal Health profiles.

Progress on reducing teenage pregnancy - and improving support for young parents - also helps local government improve at least 25% of the wider indicators in the PHOF which disproportionately affect teenage parents and their children. These include child poverty, infant mortality, poor maternal mental health and levels of young people not in education, employment or training.

The Teenage Pregnancy Prevention Framework and the Framework for Supporting Teenage Mothers and Young Fathers, published by Public Health England and the Local Government Association, remain the national government guidance for local areas. They are designed to:

• help local areas assess their local programmes to see what’s working well
• identify and address any gaps in services
• strengthen the prevention and support pathways for young people, young parents and their children, and maximise all the assets in the local area.

In September 2025, to address the recent rise in under-18 conception rates and the continuing inequalities experienced by young parents and their children, the Local Government Association published two new briefings for local councillors. Teenage Pregnancy Prevention: strengthening local leadership and Supporting young parents to reach their full potential

The briefings summarise progress to date, make the case for a continued focus, provide a checklist for councillors to review their local programmes, and include a range of case studies from councils across England, which illustrate effective practice.

Moving to statutory relationships and sex education

The Children and Social Work Act (2017) introduced new legislation for compulsory relationships education in all primary schools and compulsory relationships and sex education in all secondary schools, including academies, free schools, independent schools and maintained schools. The legislation also makes health education compulsory. This applies to all government funded schools, but not to independent schools as separate legislation on PSHE applies to them.

The Department for Education's policy statement set out Government's rationale, approach and timeline for the proposed statutory changes and highlights the overwhelming support from parents and young people for high quality statutory RSE.

After initial consultation on the content, draft statutory guidance on relationships education at primary level, relationships and sex education at secondary level and health education in both primary and secondary, was published for consultation in July 2018. The RSHE guidance was debated in Parliament (27 March 2019) with a vote reflecting overwhelming support from MPs: 538 ‘AYES’ and 21 ‘NOES’.

The final statutory guidance for RSHE was published in June 2019. Government encouraged schools that were ready to start teaching the new curriculum from September 2019, enabling schools needing more support to use the additional time to prepare to teach high quality RSE from September 2020. Due to the impact of Covid-19 Government gave schools some further flexibility for a phased start but by Summer term 2021 all schools were expected to be compliant with the legislation.

Revised statutory guidance for schools

The 2019 statutory guidance proposed that the content should be regularly reviewed. On 15 July 2025, after a period of consultation Government published new RSHE guidance [PDF], giving schools until 1 September 2026 to follow it. The new guidance has the following guiding principles:

• Engagement with pupils. An inclusive and well-sequenced RSHE curriculum should be informed by meaningful engagement with pupils to ensure that the curriculum is relevant and engaging.

• Engagement and transparency with parents. Schools should engage with parents on the content of RSHE and be transparent with parents about all materials used in RSHE. All materials should be available to parents, as described in the section on openness with parents on page 28. Parents have a right to request that their children are withdrawn from sex education (pupils can opt back in from three terms before they turn 16) and schools should ensure parents are aware of sex education content within lessons in advance.

• Positivity. Schools should focus on building positive attitudes and skills, promoting healthy norms about relationships, including sexual relationships where relevant, and about health, including mental health. Schools should avoid language which might normalise harmful behaviour among young people – for example gendered language which might normalise male violence or stigmatise boys.

• Careful sequencing. Schools should cover all statutory topics, recognising that young people can start developing healthy behaviour and relationship skills as soon as they start school. Schools should sequence teaching so that pupils are supported and equipped with the knowledge to navigate different experiences in a positive way before they occur, and to prevent harms.

• Relevant and responsive. Schools should develop the curriculum to be relevant, age and stage appropriate and accessible to pupils in their area, where appropriate working with local partners and other bodies to understand specific local issues and ensure needs are met.

• Skilled delivery of participative education. The curriculum should be delivered by school staff or, where schools choose to use them, external providers who have the knowledge, skills and confidence to create a safe and supportive environment and to facilitate participative and interactive education which aims to support and not to alarm pupils. Staff should be trained in safeguarding and offering support, recognising the increased possibility of disclosures.

• Whole school approach. The curriculum is best delivered as part of a whole school approach to wellbeing and positive relationships, supported by other school policies, including behaviour and safeguarding policies.

To find out more about the guidance and have access to the latest evidence and good practice, visit the Sex Education Forum. Organisations, including local authorities, and individuals involved in RSE can gain the full benefits of the Forum and join the RSE community with a Partner, Educator or Supporter membership