Teenage pregnancy rates in Southampton

[pap]

Southampton is something of a statistical blip when it comes to teenage pregnancy. It's way over the England average, and is also over the South East average too, according to this article in the local newspaper.

 

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11161821.True_cost_of_teenage_pregnancy_problem_more_than___4m_per_year/?ref=var_0

 

I can't really afford to be judgmental. I'm the product of a teenage pregnancy myself, and I wasn't quite 20 when I knocked ms pap up with Juvenile Unit #1 - so I know, it happens. It's definitely not advice I would give either of my daughters; I've told them they'd be far better off waiting until they're financially established and secure.

 

Why Southampton? Does it have any unusual qualities that makes it different from almost everywhere else around it?

[Sour Mash]

  pap said:

Southampton is something of a statistical blip when it comes to teenage pregnancy. It's way over the England average, and is also over the South East average too, according to this article in the local newspaper.

 

http://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/11161821.True_cost_of_teenage_pregnancy_problem_more_than___4m_per_year/?ref=var_0

 

I can't really afford to be judgmental. I'm the product of a teenage pregnancy myself, and I wasn't quite 20 when I knocked ms pap up with Juvenile Unit #1 - so I know, it happens. It's definitely not advice I would give either of my daughters; I've told them they'd be far better off waiting until they're financially established and secure.

 

Why Southampton? Does it have any unusual qualities that makes it different from almost everywhere else around it?

Southampton as a city is still made up of plenty of working-class areas, the areas around it are generally comfortable, rural middle England, guess that's the difference really.

[pap]

  Sour Mash said:

Southampton as a city is still made up of plenty of working-class areas, the areas around it are generally comfortable, rural middle England, guess that's the difference really.

 

Take a look at this:-

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/feb/22/teenage-pregnancy-rates-england-wales-map#zoomed-picture

 

Lots of areas that have much more working class areas do better than Southampton.

[Sour Mash]

  pap said:

Take a look at this:-

 

 

http://www.theguardian.com/news/datablog/2011/feb/22/teenage-pregnancy-rates-england-wales-map#zoomed-picture

 

Lots of areas that have much more working class areas do better than Southampton.

Like where? Looks like most working class, provincial cities got similar results?

[Whitey Grandad]

This has absolutely nothing to do with me.

[pap]

  Sour Mash said:

Like where? Looks like most working class, provincial cities got similar results?

 

Oddly enough, the only place anywhere close to Southampton (geographically and in terms of rate) is Portsea Island.

[Sour Mash]

  pap said:

Oddly enough, the only place anywhere close to Southampton (geographically and in terms of rate) is Portsea Island.

So the only other working class city (for want of a better team) of similar size in the area. That makes sense then and doesn't suggest Southampton is particularly out of trend.

[pap]

  Sour Mash said:

So the only other working class city (for want of a better team) of similar size in the area. That makes sense then and doesn't suggest Southampton is particularly out of trend.

 

So in your assessment, there's no issue and everyone that is focusing on it is wasting their time?

[Sour Mash]

  pap said:

So in your assessment, there's no issue and everyone that is focusing on it is wasting their time?

No issue with teenage pregnancy in the UK or no issue with Southampton having particularly unusual stats (your opening point)?

[pap]

  Sour Mash said:

No issue with teenage pregnancy in the UK or no issue with Southampton having particularly unusual stats (your opening point)?

 

Southampton being a blip.

 

The Echo think it's a thing. The council are looking into it. Both cite figures way above national averages.

 

I was expecting a bit of insight from the city dwellers. Goodness knows why; overly defensive responses are par for the course

[Sour Mash]

  pap said:

Southampton being a blip.

 

The Echo think it's a thing. The council are looking into it. Both cite figures way above national averages.

 

I was expecting a bit of insight from the city dwellers. Goodness knows why; overly defensive responses are par for the course

But the point is Southampton isn't really a blip, so it's a bit of a non-story.

[pap]

  Sour Mash said:

But the point is Southampton isn't really a blip, so it's a bit of a non-story.

 

You can get a lot more money doing "oh no, it isn't" at panto, Sour Mash.

 

Need an agent?

[Sour Mash]

  pap said:

You can get a lot more money doing "oh no, it isn't" at panto, Sour Mash.

 

Need an agent?

Sorry for pointing out where you're wrong, I didn't realise it bothered you that much. You can carry on with your thread now.

[pap]

  Sour Mash said:

Sorry for pointing out where you're wrong, I didn't realise it bothered you that much. You can carry on with your thread now.

 

We interact quite a bit on here.

 

The only thing that annoys me about your input is the stock panto response.

[View From The Top]

Working in Stoke I'm really not surprised at their teenage birth rate.

[aintforever]

Nothing wrong with having babies.

[Halo Stickman]

Interesting that Torbay – a location with both affluent and deprived areas – is the only other South Coast region with the same rate as Southampton and Portsea.

[pap]

  Halo Stickman said:

Interesting that Torbay – a location with both affluent and deprived areas – is the only other South Coast region with the same rate as Southampton and Portsea.

 

It is.

 

Do these places share any factors that would cause this to be the case?

[Halo Stickman]

  pap said:

It is.

 

Do these places share any factors that would cause this to be the case?

 

Yes, people need to look for a possible common denominator – not sure what that is, myself.

 

All I can say about Torbay is that it has quite a high unemployment rate, and the jobs – especially for young people – are mainly seasonal and low-paid.

[buctootim]

The real story about Southampton is how much the under 18 conception rate has dropped between 2001 (65.6 per 100,000) and 2009 (49.2 per 100,000) - a far greater drop than the national rate, which is also declining.