A POSITIVE approach is being taken by Lancashire County Council to combat teenage pregnancy.

The plans follow a Government report -- published in June 1999 -- which revealed Britain had the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe.

The report also featured a ten-year, 30-point action plan geared towards halving the rate of conception among under-18s in England by 2010.

It also aimed to achieve a reduction in the risk of long term social exclusion for teenage parents and their children by getting more teenage parents into education, training and employment.

A multi-agency team -- led by LCC -- has been working over the past few months to devise a strategy which will now be submitted to the Teenage Pregnancy Unit.

The main elements of the strategy are:

Ensuring young people know where to access good quality information, advice and support.

Appropriate sex education to delay rather than bring forward young people starting to have sex.

Within schools this will be firmly placed within broader personal, social and health education teaching. Support will also be offered to parents, other carers and professionals working with young people, using models of good prac tice to help them communicate effectively about sex and relationships.

Adopting the Government's guidance on best practice on the provision of contraceptive and advice services for young people.

County Coun Brian Johnson said: "If we are serious about giving our young people the best start in life we need to ensure our strategy is effective and addresses a wide range of issues.

"The central theme is ensuring all agencies work together positively to provide effective education, information and services."