Growing pressure on teenage mothers to leave education
- March 18, 2010
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Keywords:
- barnado's
- charity
- education
- mothers
- teenage
- Not rated
A report from leading children’s charity Barnado’s has called for more support for teenage mothers lacking in self esteem and ambition
Many young mothers interviewed for the report said that although they had not been excluded from education, there was mounting pressure on them to leave due to 'health and safety fears'. Other reasons for leaving included a lack of support and understanding from the institution itself.
A spokeswoman for the charity said that teachers are encouraging pregnant teenagers to leave school out of fear of knocks and bumps in the corridor and by saying it is just not safe in school:
"We had one girl who was seven months' pregnant who was encouraged to leave because she was told the stress of her GCSEs could bring on a premature birth.”
2008 statistics from the Department for Work and Pensions claimed that an overwhelming 70 per cent of young mothers were not in education or employment.
Barnado’s is calling for more support before new legislation in 2015 requires all students, including pregnant teenagers and young mothers, to stay in education until they are 18.
Schools Minister, Vernon Coaker, comments that Barnado’s are right to support teenage mothers as teenage parenthood should not mean the end of career ambitions.
