Under 16

If you are 16 and under and you discover that you are pregnant and you are not attending school, then you should discuss your pregnancy with a member of your family or close friend as soon as you feel you can. There are other people that you can also talk to. For example, the pastoral care teacher in the school that you attended, your doctor or a counsellor. You can also visit websites that give clear and useful information. Go to the links page for contact details of these agencies.

This is a step-by-step guide of what to do if you discover that you are pregnant, are still attending school and are aged 16 or under.

There are some things you should keep in mind:

• If you are pregnant and still at school then by law you are required to stay at school until you have completed Year 12.
• Having a baby should not mean that you have to give up your education. You may need additional support to continue your education.

So what needs to happen?

• Once you have confirmed that you are pregnant you should talk to someone as soon as possible and get support and help to work things out.
• You can talk to your pastoral care teacher, or a counsellor if your school has one, about your pregnancy and any worries that you might have. You should speak to this person and get their advice about remaining in school and the support which will be available to you.
• You will have to make an appointment with your school principal indicating that you wish to discuss a confidential matter. If you have already told your parents/carers at this stage then you might want them to be involved in this meeting.
• At the interview tell the principal that you are pregnant and that you want to discuss your education. The principal may ask you to provide a medical certificate to confirm your pregnancy.
• If you are in good health you should be able to attend school until your doctor advises you to stop.
• You should ask your principal, pastoral care teacher or counsellor to contact the Education Welfare Service on your behalf to arrange additional support. You should ensure that this contact with the education welfare officer (E.W.O.) is made. There is a process for you to get support and this has been agreed by the chief education welfare officers in Northern Ireland as part of the ‘Strategy Framework’ to support school age mothers.
• The education welfare officer will refer you to the SAM project worker who will offer you advice and support.
• You, your education welfare officer, the SAM project worker, your school and either your parent or carer should meet to decide a plan for your education. This is important as together you can look at the options open to you, your plans for your future and decide on the best way to continue your education.

The main options are:

• Continue to attend your present school.
  You can continue at your present school for as long as possible before your baby is born and you can return afterwards as soon as you feel that you are ready.You can ask your school or SAM project worker to request home tuition for you. This means that during the time that you are pregnant and out of school a tutor will work with you on the coursework provided by your own school. This tuition can take place in your own home or in small groups that are available in some areas.
• Attend a School Age Mothers Project
  The School Age Mothers (S.A.M.) Project is a new service which has been developed across Northern Ireland. The SAM project is specifically designed for young women who are either pregnant or are a parent up to the age of 19.

The aim of the project is to support young women to continue their education while at the same time get information about health during and after pregnancy, child health, parenting, benefits, housing, further education and training opportunities.

The project can help in a number of different ways. For example the young women can come together as a group where they have their babies cared for in a crèche and they are able to complete their coursework. They also take part in a personal development and health programme. In other areas the project has a worker who offers the young women support and advice on an individual basis. If the young women are in Year 12 they are supported to complete their coursework and take examinations. If the young women are in yr 12, 13, or 14 they are supported to complete their coursework and take examinations. The length of time a project runs for can differ in each Education and Library Board area.

To find out further information and to see if there is a S.A.M. Project in your area you can contact your local chief education welfare officer who will be able to tell you about support. You can also contact a Barnardo’s project called Young Parents Network who will have information on support for school-age mothers and young parents.

The contact details are as follows:

You can also find out what young people said about the S.A.M. Project.