AN initiative aimed at reducing the number of teenage pregnancies in County Durham and Darlington is being launched this week.

The £250,000 project, funded by the Department of Health's Teenage Pregnancy Unit, will offer sex and relationship education, advise on contraception and support to teenage parents.

It will tackle issues raised in TV soaps through two fictional teenage mothers, Coronation Street's Sarah Louise Platt and EastEnders' Sonia Jackson.

County Durham has one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the country, with 58.5 in every 1,000 15 to 17-year-olds becoming pregnant between 1996 and 1998, compared with an average for England and Wales of 46.4 in every 1,000.

For girls aged between 13 to 15, there was an above-average 12.7 pregnancies per 1,000.

Now, through a partnership of health, education, social services and voluntary organisations, a team of outreach workers specialising in sexual health will work directly with young people and contraceptive services.

Some projects are already under way, including:

l Condom distribution schemes with specially trained youth workers and GP practice staff.

l Clinics for young people provided through a link with the Family Planning Service.

l Leaflets and information about local sexual health services distributed through colleges, youth services and voluntary organisations.

l Special events, including under-18s discos and college information stands to promote advice.

l Internet website pages with details of clinics, opening times and services.

The aim is to reduce peer pressure on teenagers to have sex, to persuade young people to use condoms to protect against unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, and to use the free confidential advice and information service at any GP's surgery or family planning clinic if they cannot get advice at home.

Sue Everton, teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for County Durham, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to build up existing projects in County Durham and Darlington which are working with young people to reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancies.

"The strategy aims to help young people improve their communication and assertiveness skills, widen the opportunities available to young people and improve services for them."

Details are on the Health Promotion website from November 2: www.health-promotion.org.u