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Young mums: the real story
The RESPECT young mums campaign and the young mums' Charter are based on an in depth review, conducted by YWCA, of current research into the facts and figures surrounding young mums.
Combined with our unique experience of working with young mums, the research explodes common myths about teenage mothers.
Young mums: myths and facts
| Myth: |
"There is an epidemic of teenage pregnancy
in the UK today." |
| Fact: |
Despite media headlines, overall teenage pregnancies
have fallen nationally by 9.4% since 1999. |
| Myth: |
"Young people are just too promiscuous." |
| Fact: |
In 2000, almost three-quarters of young women waited until they were 16 or over to have sex. |
| Myth: |
"Young people today are careless about contraception."
|
| Fact: |
In a recent study, only 7% of young
men and 10% of young women aged 16-19 said they had
used no form of contraception the first time
they had sex. The proportion of young people not using any
form of contraception has decreased substantially in recent
years. |
| Myth: |
"In my day, girls were much less likely to
get pregnant." |
| Fact: |
In 1970, young women aged 15 to 19 in England
and Wales were almost twice as likely to
become mums as they are today. |
| Myth: |
"They only do it to get a council house."
|
| Fact: |
Seven out of ten 15 and 16 year old mothers, and around half of 17 and 18-year-olds stay at home. In fact, most young mums have little knowledge of
housing policy before getting pregnant - and what they do
know often turns out to be wrong. |
| Myth: |
"They only do it to get benefits."
|
| Fact: |
Pregnant young women under 16 are not entitled
to any benefits; 16-18 year-olds get between £33.50
and £44.05 a week. When their baby
is born, they get between £102.01 and £112.56
per week. This has to pay for equipment like cots and prams,
nappies and clothes, as well as food, bills, and any extra
costs like childcare.
However, as with housing, most young mums have little knowledge
of social security policy before getting pregnant. |
| Myth: |
"They can't look after their kids."
|
| Fact: |
Evidence suggests that young parents take
the responsibilities of parenthood very seriously: the needs
of their children are always high on the agenda. Several studies
show young mums cope just as well as older women in similar
circumstances. |
| Myth: |
"Young mums are all poor and have
no education." |
| Fact: |
This one is a little closer to the truth.
Young women from unskilled manual backgrounds are twice as likely to become teenage mothers as those from professional backgrounds. Young women with lower
educational achievement - and low self-esteem - are also significantly
more likely to become teenage mums. Unfortunately, this trend
continues after young mums have their children. |
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