Targeted youth support: young parents group provides personal and social development for pregnant teenagers and young mothers

Little Angels, was set up by a multi-agency steering group to provide personal and social development in a supportive environment for pregnant teenagers and young mothers in Staveley. Around six to eight young women currently attend on a regular basis. The group offers informal and formal support, information and advice, and helps young mothers ease back into education or into employment when it is desired. The young mothers lead the group and control the agenda.

Staveley is a deprived area with a relatively high incidence of teenage pregnancy. The local multi-agency steering group was aware that many young mums felt uncomfortable going to regular mothers' groups as they felt out of place, disapproved of (often erroneously), and uncomfortable. Because of this, they felt isolated, unsupported and had no-where to go and no access to their peer group. The steering group, which includes Connexions, neighbourhood management, the health service (midwives and health visitors) the local school and the youth service, decided that supporting these young mothers was a priority.

The steering group first invited pregnant teenagers and mothers to a consultation event, to ask them what sort of support they wanted. Top of the wish list was somewhere to meet with their peers. Initially the group, which is held in a local leisure centre, was scheduled on a monthly basis. This soon became weekly as the benefits of more regular contact consistency, support, prompt advice and so on became apparent.

The content of each two-hour afternoon meeting is chosen by the young mothers. Sometimes this is simply an informal chat, at other times it may involve more formal advice and information on, for example, sexual health and contraception. Usually three or four staff are in attendance from Connexions, youth services and Unit 10 (a one-stop-shop giving advice to young people). There is always time for one-to-one conversations.

Young mothers come to the group either through word of mouth, school, Connexions or health. The group also puts posters up locally. Fathers have attended the group in the past, but in general its mothers only.

Results

Three young mothers have gone back into education and three older mothers are now working.

But by far the biggest plus is the confidence the mothers gain by being in the group, though meeting other young mothers and agency staff and talking with them, says Sue Longmate of Connexions. The group is very self-supporting of each other. It's a great way to empower young mothers and ensure they don't become isolated.

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