Telegraph: Learning Dutch lessons on teen pregnancy - by Laura Donnelly

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Learning Dutch lessons on teen pregnancy - by Laura Donnelly

Holland has the lowest rate of children born to teenage mothers across Western Europe - six times lower than Britain's statistics at the opposite end of the league table. When teenagers do fall pregnant, those in the Netherlands are slightly more likely than their counterparts in the UK to have abortions. But the gap between the number of births to teenage mothers is better explained by the lower levels of sexual activity in Holland before the age of consent.Liberal campaigners in Britain point to Holland's permissive health policies, including compulsory sex education in schools from the age of five, as being key to its success. But advocates of the Dutch approach say the practical demonstrations are just a tiny part of their agenda, which encourages teens to discuss the moral and emotional implications of sex. Typical debates include reasons to have sex, what to say if a boy refuses to wear a condom and how to maintain self-respect.