A HOME for teenage mothers is to be built in Darlington to help cope with the town's high pregnancy rate.

Funding has been allocated, to Darlington Borough Council by the Housing Corporation, to develop the home, which is expected to open by next September.

It will provide living space to single parents under 18.

The home, which will be supervised semi-independent housing, will help deal with Darlington's growing pregnancy rate among under-18s, which is above the national average.

The town's teenage pregnancy rate among under-16s is 11 per 1,000, compared with a national average of nine. For under-18s the national average is 46 per 1,000, but 63 per 1,000 in Darlington.

The town's teenage pregnancy strategy aims to achieve a ten per cent reduction in the pregnancy rate by 2004. It also hopes to achieve a 55 per cent reduction in conception rates among girls under 18 by 2010.

Speaking about the strategy, which also seeks to educate youngsters about safe sex, Sue Everton, teenage pregnancy co-ordinator for County Durham, said: "The strategy aims to help young people improve their communication and assertiveness skills, widen the opportunities available to them and improve services."

A report to Darlington council concluded that a healthy housing environment was needed for youngsters.

It also said: "if a settled living arrangement is not addressed for the young mother, this can adversely affect both the pregnancy, and subsequent life chances of the mother, in terms of education and employment."

As well as the new centre, a support programme will be set up, in conjunction with Darlington Sure Start, to help expectant mothers find new homes after their babies are born. On-going support will also be provided once they have been relocated.

Until June 2000, Darlington ran a project with Disc, a voluntary agency offering support to young people to help them live independently.

A house in Haughton Road, with a live-in support worker, was used to help prepare two young pregnant teenagers for independent living, but there was limited take-up in the accommodation because of a reluctance to share facilities