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Young mums in Wales
In Wales, young mums tend to live in the most deprived areas, such as the former mining communities of South Wales.
Fact
The overall 2001 conception rate for girls aged 15 to 17 in Wales was 45.3 girls in every thousand, compared to 42.3 in every thousand in England. |
Policies affecting Welsh young mums are different to those in England, particularly in healthcare, housing and education. Some initiatives to support young mums in England, like the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, Sure Start Plus and Care to Learn, are not available. Instead, support services for young mums are decided locally. Some areas have effective support for young mums, but others do not.
Many young mums in Wales also experience prejudice from policymakers, the media and their communities. As in England, young mums in Wales are not entitled to the same levels of benefits as older mothers.
YWCA has a long history of working with young women in Wales. In Llanelli, our group for young mums aged 15-25 meets to share ideas, be creative and run information sessions on issues that concern them. We run family play sessions with toys, books and crafts. YWCA runs very active groups for young women in Cwmafan, near Port Talbot, and Swansea, which deal with sexual health issues and relationships.
| This is why YWCA is calling for RESPECT for young mums in Wales. |
If you believe that young mums have a right to equality and respect, you can add your voice to the campaign straight away by signing the young mums' charter. And if you want to go one step further, you can tell the politicians.
If you’re not sure what you think about young mums, why not do the quiz to find out how much you really know about their lives.
If you are a young mum – or you have a story or opinion about young mums – you can send your story to the campaign.
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