Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Teenagers
Recently there
has been a multitude of information
and guidance provided for health care professionals
to address health inequalities experienced
by teenage parents and their children. From the
Teenage Pregnancy Strategy
to the Choosing Health white paper to the National
Service Framework for Children, Young People and
Maternity Services are resultant from the social
exclusion units work into the health and social
care outcomes for the poorest in
our society.
Teenage parents
and pregnant teenagers and their
children are often regarded
as having bad starts in
life and so are continually
trying to ‘catch-up’ with the rest
of society in terms of education,
health care and housing etc. The government response
to the levels of support needed by pregnant and parenting teenagers
was Sure Start Plus.
This was a pilot scheme which gave pregnant and
parenting teenagers access to advice,
information and support from dedicated advisors. They addressed
such issues as improving the social and emotional well being,
learning and health of young women and their children as well
as strengthening families
and communities and working with
teenage and young fathers.
Funding to this programme ceased
in March 2006 with some local authorities mainstreaming
this provision through education, social services or health provision.
This column aims to share some of the experiences of Sure Start
Plus when working with pregnant and parenting teenagers and their
children. Some of the common misconceptions
and myths that exist will be challenged
and some of the difficult questions and situations can be explained
in a way that will ensure that the
young person you are dealing with is not left
feeling confused or misinformed.
The myriad of rules
and regulations that can confront and young person having a child
often stop that
young person often accessing the correct
benefits or even health advice and we would hope
that some of the advice we share will go someway to improving
your confidence when dealing with the scared young person who
just walked through your door.
Remember we all have opinions about pregnant teenagers and even
if we don’t they think we do, so
a friendly smile and eye contact could be the best start to the
relationship you are about to embark on.
|
