TEENAGE pregnancy rates in Weymouth and Portland have remained the highest in the county for the past 10 years – and higher than the national average.

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show the teenage pregnancy rate in the borough was 44 per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 17-years-old between 2005-2007.

This is almost double the rate in Dorset as a whole, which was 26.7 per 1,000 girls, and higher than the national rate of 41.2 per 1,000 girls in the same period.

Yet despite remaining high, teenage pregnancy rates in the borough have fallen eight per cent in the past 10 years.

A multi-agency approach is said to be working and a new blitz is being launched to cut the rate.

The aim is to encourage youngsters to ‘delay’ their first sexual experiences by finding other entertainment.

Over the next few months nationally-recognised Delay training will be offered to all Personal Social and Health Education teachers in schools and agencies that work with young people.

Claire Shiels, is acting joint commissioning manager for teenage pregnancy based in Dorset County Council’s Children’s Services.

She said: “Reducing the number of teenage pregnancies is a high priority and although Dorset has seen a rise in the number of cases, the county has the second lowest rate in the South West.

“Significant investment has been made in services across the west of the county including Weymouth and Portland, which has led to a decline in the rate of teenage pregnancies in this area.”

The high rates in the Weymouth and Portland area have been ‘strongly linked’ to deprivation and a county council spokesman said ‘four hotspot wards’ in the borough had higher rates of teenage pregnancy than the rest of the borough and county in general.

The four hotspots are Upwey, Littlemoor, Underhill and Melcombe Regis.

These hotspots contribute ‘significantly’ to the higher rate found in Weymouth and Portland.

Work is also being done to improve sex and relationships education in schools.

Claire said: “This includes targeted work with young people who are considered to be at risk of becoming pregnant and live in areas where teenage pregnancy rates are higher.

“We are aware that young people say they would prefer advice from parents and have invested in support for parents to help them talk more openly to their children.”