Written Answers. - Teenage Pregnancies.
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:
280
Ms Fitzgerald
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the research data available to him on teenage pregnancy; the recommendations made to his Department in these reports; and the implementation to date in this regard.
[23125/00]
Frances Fitzgerald
Question:
283
Ms Fitzgerald
asked the
Minister for Health and Children
the initiatives taken by his Department in relation to teenage pregnancies; the number of teenage pregnancies in the years 1995 to 2000; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[23129/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 283 together.
The number of births to teenage mothers, those up to and including 19 years of age, in the years 1995 to 2000, first quarter is as follows:
|
Year
|
Number of Births
|
|
1995
|
2,467
|
|
1996
|
2,763
|
|
1997
|
2,894
|
|
1998
|
3,138
|
|
1999
|
3,301
|
|
2000 (January-March)
|
858
|
The study "Women and Crisis Pregnancy", commissioned by my Department from the Department of Sociology, Trinity College, Dublin and published in 1998, included among the women interviewed a number of pregnant teenagers. This study contained conclusions rather than recommendations and did not address teenage pregnancy as a separate issue. Nonetheless, its findings in relation to such issues as access to family planning and pregnancy counselling services and the need for education to encourage more responsible behaviour by those in sexual relationships have helped to inform the development of policy in these areas.
In conjunction with a number of agencies, my Department is currently implementing a pilot initiative on teenage parenting support as part of the national child care investment strategy. These projects, located in Dublin, Galway and Limerick, will identify and develop models of good practice in the planning of services for young parents, particularly those deemed to be at risk. The objectives include increasing access to services, increasing the support services available to teenage parents, improving the safety and well-being of children and improving family functioning. The teenage parenting support initiative will be evaluated in order to assess its impact and to identify key themes and issues.
In 1997-8 the Eastern Health Board, now the Eastern Regional Health Authority, ran a teenage health initiative as a primary preventative programme aimed at teenagers at risk of pregnancy. Its objectives were to educate young people in a positive way and to bring about changes in attitudes and behaviour in relation to their personal development and sexual activity. Training was offered to youth organisations, youth projects and resource centres dealing with young people. Evaluation showed that the programme had been effective and it is planned to develop the initiative in the future.
At national level, this year an additional £1.6 million has been provided to health boards for the development of family planning and pregnancy counselling services. Health boards have been asked to concentrate service developments on measures aimed at reducing unwanted pregnancies in the 15-34 age group and among the initiatives being undertaken are the funding of additional GP family planning clinics; the recruitment of additional personnel to work in the area of teenage pregnancy and support for single parents; and increased grant aid to voluntary organisations providing family planning or pregnancy counselling services.
Work is under way at the moment on the planning of a public education and information campaign, to be launched later in the year, which will be aimed at those aged 18 and upwards. This will seek to encourage responsibility in attitudes to relationships and sexual health and to inform and educate people about the range of issues involved. Among the issues to be addressed are the promotion of responsible behaviour among those who are sexually active; education about how pregnancy occurs, the effective use of contraception and prevention of sexually-transmitted infection; cultivation of more responsible atti tudes to alcohol, with particular regard to alcohol and sexual activity; and increased awareness of reproductive health and pregnancy counselling services.
