General Chat

From the net: Government can do no more to reduce the UK's high teen pregnancy rate without the help of parents, the families and children's minister has warned. The news comes as latest figures show the rate of pregnant under-16s in England and Wales rose 1% from 7.9 to 8 per 1,000 girls between 2002 and 2003. In 2000, the government pledged to halve the rate by 2010. Beverley Hughes said parents needed to put aside any embarrassment and start talking to their children about sex. She told the Guardian newspaper: 'We really need parents to now see themselves as making an absolutely unique and vital contribution to this issue. 'It is a contribution that I don't think anyone else can actually make.' Speaking about the latest statistics, a government spokeswoman said: 'They show that teenage pregnancy is one of the most difficult issues facing society today - but it's also one of the most complex. 'We know that where young people talk openly with their parents that they begin having sex later and are more likely to use contraception.' The issue was highlighted this week by the case of three young sisters in Derby. One became pregnant at 12, and the others at 14 and 16. Ms Hughes described the case as a 'tragic loss of opportunity'.

I have a 13yr old daughter, who has been taught sex education in yr 6 at primary, she told me everthing that had been told to her and i asked if she understood everthingand what she didnt understand i explained the best i could. Now shes at high school and she came home one day and asked me what fridgid meant, because her mates were calling her that, so i told er the meaning and said better to be called that than something elses. Im just glad she can talk too me and hopefully keep on doing so.

David, this has sparked a lot of interesting replies. I haven't read the newspaper article or seen the TV this morning, but how old is the mother of these girls and was she herself a child when her first daughter was born? I wonder also what the girls' father had to say about his daughters all becoming pregnant. I feel they all appear somewhat irresponsible, largely due to lack of parental advice/ behaviour, etc. Perhaps the mother (grandmother) should have had lessons in parenting. I sincerely hope these babies will not be in the same position when they become teenagers. Sue

i was a child mother myself years ago, i don't blame the government for me having my daughter and never asked for a penny for her from them, anyway i could not have as you have to be 16 to claim child benefit even on your own child, the mother must be claiming that for her grandchildren, i blame the mother, i had 3 children mine did not have babies young, i now have grandchildren, and the sex education they have at school is great they learn all sorts that i would not have thought to tell my children, so don't blame the schools its up to the parents to look after there children and there morals, not the schools speaking as someone who has been there i should know.

Never mind having a baby, what about Aids, so very silly not to push that, I always said to my daughter you get over having a baby, might make life hard but at least you are alive but if you can get pregnant you can get Aids then your life is over, use to say that when she went out with her friends and to them as well. Better safe than sorry. Irene

I will probably be shot down in flames for my views - but here goes - When I was a very stupid unmarried 17 year old (in 1966) I became pregnant - there was no alternative than to have your child adopted - very few girls kept their babies - you were told that a child needed two parents, a stable. loving home and that an unmarried young girl could not provide these things. I had my son adopted, I didn't want to, it broke my heart, but I was sure that I made the right decision for the best interests of my child. I stand by that decision to this day - it made me grow up very quickly. These stupid girls should be actively encouraged to have their babies adopted - the father's should be prosecuted for underage sex, especially the 38 year old one! And as for their mother (if you can call her a mother) - she should be prosecuted for neglect and child abuse allowing her 11/12 year old daughter to be raped (as she was under 13) under her roof - Social Services should take the girls into care. Jackie

Did nobody else see that the oldest girl had previously had 2 miscarriages and a termination??!! Surely SOMEONE in that family should have learnt a lesson just from the FIRST incident? Also, all 3 of the girls got pregnant at the same time - the youngest hid hers for several months. Can't imagine even letting my girl out on her own at 11 - I was still playing with dolls at that age! The blame lies firmly with the mother. Maz. XX

The law states that the girl cannot be prosecuted if she has underage sex. Twelve or under and it is rape; 13 to 15 and it is statutory rape (if she consented). A 15-year-old girl can sleep her way up and down Britain and breed to her heart's content. Legally, she is the poor, innocent victim who is far too immature to be able to make the decision to have sex. Her 15-year-old boyfriend is regarded as a rapist and could go to prison. The law presumes that he has wickedly taken advantage of her. He might be 15 too, but he is deemed mature enough to be prosecuted. How is this fair?

And the mother is trying to blame the government!! The mind boggles! I hope she is proud of herself as she has set a good example to her daughters.....not!! Bev

How disgusting to know her 11 year old daughter was having sex and to condone it.! Davex

I have just watched the mother of these girls on GMTV and she just admitted that the youngest girl was 11 - yes ELEVEN- when she was having sex with her boyfriend. And she knew! As did the boy's family! One of the other daughters (the eldest I think) has a 38 year old boyfriend, but she was 17 when she got pregnant (so that's OK then!?!) The mother also said that the benefits she was getting were nowhere near the amount the papers were stating. She only got child benefit, tax credits and something else which I can't remember, which she was entitled to. I suppose as 2 of her daughters are under 16, she must still be entitled to child benefit for them, and the daughters are entitled to claim it for their children. If you add the rent free & council tax free house they all live in, it must add up to around the £30,000 per year that the media are quoting. Sue xx

Hi Debs Im not to far from Liverpool myself live off the east lancs more Manchester end. Davex

Dave Had to think myself - it's Paul Martin. Cretien before him. (look a lot like Criten from Red Dwarf don't you think?) By the way, saw a documentry about his Red Dwarf character, he has friends in Vancouver and based his accent on such! Deb ( with a Scouse/Vancouver accent)

Hi Debs Gordon Brown is chancellor of Exchequer and holds all the cash lol! is it ? Martin or somebody like that! Paul! Dx

Thanks Dave, I know who Tony is but not the other guy? By the way do you know, off hand, who our Prime Minister is?!!!

Debs the thread says government to blame as though they personaly got girls pregnant, Tony and Gordon are government my attempt at humour I have put all my serious stuff on this thread earlier. Davex

Dave - please explaine, I don't know what you are talking about. Deb

Whats Tony Blair and Gordon Brown been up to now! I dont know! They are busy chaps! Dx

Having read the whole thread I would like to add a few more comments. The mother of the girls should be filing a Statutory Rape charge against the fathers of the babies if they are over the age of consent. Does the now Grandmother still receive family allowance benfits for the young mothers of the babies, or doe's it stop when the children become mothers? On a personal note. My Grandmother was 8 months pregnant and had a 17 month old (my mother) when her husband was killed September 1938 while serving aboard the HMS Courageous. Because she was a single mother with two babies the authorities of the time figured that she could not cope financialy for the children, and asked her to 'put them into a home'. I asked my Nan what she said to them, she said 'I told them to ********* That was my Nan!!! She explained to me that the government did not want to pay out to look after the children, a cheaper alternative was to send them to the 'Seamans Orphanage' She said that there was enough family support that between her and her 5 sisters they would survive. They did! Deb

I have just read this in our Morning newspaper. Having not read all the thread, I'll add my comment. The mother of these children should have done what every parent should do.....talk to their children about sex. It is not up to the school system to do this. Yes, there is sex ed. in the schools, but when it comes down to it, it is the morals that the girls were brought up on that comes into question. SHE (the now Grandmother) should be sent on a course on child rearing, but it looks like it is too late. What bothers me is the youngest mother is only 12 years old. What chance do these babies of babies have in life? I know that accidents happen, but to have three daughters deliver babies within months says to me that there is something wrong here. Will these girls now go back to a school that accomodate young mothers enabling them to finish their education, or will they now live off 'the system'? Deb (off to read all the thread)