1. England and Wales has the highest teenage birth rate in the EU. In 2001, 30 out of every 1,000 15- to 19-year-old young women had a baby. That rate has remained pretty constant since the 1980s. It means that significant numbers of young people are becoming parents when they haven't yet, or have only just, reached their own official adulthood. That is not always a disaster. Some respond brilliantly. But much can depend on the support they receive.
2. Teenage mothers face extraordinary prejudice. Complete strangers feel entitled to pass disparaging comments. Disapproval flows from all directions, from officialdom and from supposedly well-meaning friends and family. Health professionals can be patronising or judgmental. Explore these issues at all levels, both to support young parents and to increase understanding and reduce stereotyping.
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