What happened next? This updated edition of Teenage Pregnancy and Young Parenthood examines the research and practice in this vital field since the end of the UK Government’s highly successful Teenage Pregnancy Strategy (TPS) for England which contributed to reducing the under-18 pregnancy rate by well over 50%.

Alison Hadley, together with Roger Ingham, Joanna Nichols and Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli, summarise the latest research in the field, review the work of a wide range of local authorities, and provide insight from interviews with practitioners who are at the sharp end of delivering services both for young people seeking to prevent early pregnancy and for young parents. Providing a comprehensive overview of the original project, the book captures and shares the lessons from the TPS, documents the details of implementing a long-term strategy with its innovative approach to policy issues, and considers the implications of the study internationally.

Advocating a ‘whole systems’ multi-agency approach, it focusses on how to implement policy successfully, and demonstrates evidence for what is effective, both in helping young people avoid unplanned pregnancy and in improving outcomes for young parents. This edition also considers how to sustain the gains made by the original strategy. Key new topics covered include: an overview of the national context since 2016 through the pandemic; the introduction of Relationships and Sex Education (RSE); access to contraception and sexual health service; and addressing inequalities.

As in the first edition of the book, a chapter is devoted to efforts to reduce adolescent childbearing elsewhere in the world. It contains country case studies from Argentina, Ethiopia, Moldova and Thailand which illustrate what can be achieved with visionary leadership, rigorous science, and strong management in diverse contexts.

Teenage Pregnancy and Young Parenthood is essential reading for policy makers and practitioners dealing with young people’s health, as well as undergraduate and postgraduate students in the fields of psychology, health studies, social work, youth work, education, social policy, sociology and related disciplines.

Alison Hadley OBE is the Director of the Teenage Pregnancy Knowledge Exchange at the University of Bedfordshire and previously led the implementation of the Labour government’s Teenage Pregnancy Strategy for England.

Roger Ingham is Professor of Health and Community Psychology at the University of Southampton.

Joanna Nichols is Associate Professor in the School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership at the University of Bradford.

Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli has recently retired after a 30-year career in the World Health Organisation.