Educating school-age parents
Pregnant pupils should be able to be supported in school and indeed the government states that ‘Pregnancy is not a reason for exclusion from school’ (DfES, 2001c). It is the government’s aim to reduce teenage pregnancy by 50 per cent in 2010 from 90,000 in 1998, but it still recognizes the need for a strategy to encourage these young parents to continue in education, hopefully avoiding the risk of social exclusion and promoting better opportunities for future employment for the parents. The Guidance on the Education of School Age Parents (DfES, 2001c) clearly identifies the provisions available for pregnant or young parents, but still states that the mainstream school should oversee the education, frequently even setting and marking work. Many issues are mentioned within this document that educators within a school need to be in a position to handle effectively through policy and allocated roles.
Discussion
The Guidance (DfES,2001c:14.7) says:
■ There is no evidence that keeping a pregnant girl or school age mother in school will encourage others to become pregnant.
■ Effective personal, social and health education (PSHE) can alert teenagers to the risks and realities of early parenthood and can be used to encourage understanding of young parents’ situation amongst the other pupils, taking care not to reinforce negative stereotypes.
Discuss these statements. How does your educational setting support pregnant teenagers or young parents?
