Teenage Pregnancy in the UK!

[trt]

We have the highest in Eastern Europe and the Government has got it wrong again.

If you were a Minister in charge of this problem, what would you do?

[daffy654]

Enforced contraception??? sqad you seriously have lost the plot with that idea.

I think the benefits system and the housing system need a huge revamp.That might stop some of these very young teens having babies in areas of the country where it is known as a good way to get a house and to not have to work.

I still think most people see the term "teenage pregnancy" and they picture schoolgirls(underage).There is nothing wrong to my mind if the girl is 18 or over(still a teen) and in a stable relationship with a working partner.

[sqad617]

sophie.....you have a point, but a �1.000 fine would certainly be an incentive to self enforce oral contraception.

daffy.....fine....so we all keep paying through our taxes to maintain these teenagers and their "offspring?"

[sn�gs]

Mass sterilisation...

am I being unreasonable?

[daffy654]

Where did I say that 'we' should pay for these teenagers and their offspring?
As I said,both my daughters have partners that work,the only state help they get is child benefit....even Pricess Diana was entitled to that.
We need to distinguish between underage teens and those who are nearer their 20's here.We also have to understand that not all teenage mothers are unemployed and single,and we have to stop having a go purely at the female of the species and make the fathers pay for their 3 minutes of fun!!!

[daffy654]

*Princess*

[sophie_1003]

sqad- you may be right but although they are nearly 100% effective there's still that chance that you could get pregnant when taking oral contraceptives, also �1000 is a small amount to pay for a house and child benefits!

[Whoever]

Well, I can hear howls of rage coming from some people but if the State stopped providing benefits for young unmarried mothers and stopped allocating housing and housing benefits, pregnancy without any means of financial support would suddenly become a less attractive option.

[sophie_1003]

Whoever- you can't apply a one-size-fits-all model to everyone, there would still be exceptional situations where it would be completely unfair to deny help, for example, a rape victim who fell pregnant and was against abortion, or someone who was in a stable relationship but their partner left them- how can you deny people like these benefits?

[SuDFB]

In my opinion its how you are brought up... Here you are not allowed to smack your kid or punish them in anyway and they feel like they can do whatever they like and they know if they get pregnant mum will take care of them if not the goverment will...
I was brought up with respect and self pride and smacked when I did something wrong didnt do me any harm taught me a few lesson actualy... and I know if I came home pregnant Id be dead...

And the goverment should only provide benefits untill the child is in full time education, once in full time education make the mother get a job.

[Monkey77]

I don't pretend to have the answer, just wanted to throw this out there to see what anyone though. I live near. Obviously I haven't spoken to all of them, but I met and spoken to quite a few and the one common thread amongst girls of that age is a complete lack of motivation in terms of life experiences or career.