What benefits for a 17 year old pregnant girl?

[crosser62]

Was 17 last month, 8 weeks pregnant.
No prospect of ever getting a job, not been in school since aged 13.

How financially will she survive?

Lives with mother & mothers partner in rented accommodation. Has no income at all.
Are there even any benefits available to someone so young and totally dependant?

Sorry but she doesn't sound able to be a good parent. I'd be very worried for a baby living in this situation.

Her social worker must surely be looking into the benefits she is entitled to.

There are lots of people in this situation and whilst It is depressing, there is a good chance her and her mum and the baby will muddle through.
Social work will be well equipped to get them organised. They will be accommodated and support will be available- the challenge will be getting them to engage with it.

Without beinbg judgemental - She really doesn't sound in a position to have a child and provide for it (financially or emotionally)

Is continuing with the pregnancy is her (or the childs) best interests?

To be honest if she has the child and is unable to care for it then it will be removed from her care. Her SW will have to work out a plan to try and ensure she can be supported in the first days/weeks but it may nit work out. I am sure all the options will have been discussed with the girl but she will have made her own mind up on this. If she doesn't';t want to terminate then she will have the baby and decisions will be made in its best interests at that point.

She may well be able to go back to college now she has a diagnosis of autism as she could get support put in place to help her.

She could also be eligible for PIP. It’s is good that she is getting support from a specialist midwife. The family nurse partnership could also help her.

I hope she gets the help she needs now she is pregnant because it sounds like she didn’t have it before.

As far as I can tell, they are adamant that the pregnancy is to continue, as I say, I don’t think that it has crossed their minds that there is any other choice.
Would a social worker or midwife discuss the alternative options with her?

Perhaps she’ll be eligible for support relating to her disabilities then?

So she has never ever stepped foot into a college so there is no “going back to college”,

she has been turned down for pip completely, had assessment recently and told no.

I would report my concerns to social services. I know they are involved already but I think it is always worth reporting concerns as they may not know everything. This doesn’t sound like a good situation for a baby to come into.

The best thing would be termination, that is not happening by the sound of things.
If the baby is removed, who’s care will it be placed in? Her mother, another family member?
What about next time and the time after that and that and that???

I had benefits at 17 when I was pregnant and I lived at home. Was a longer time ago but I did have my own income of benefits.

She should have an abortion. Simple problem. Simple solution. They obviously think a lot of your mother. She should tell them to sort it out!

Id the child is removed then the SW will assess the options. If there is a suitable family member baby will be placed with them. If not then baby will go into care and possibly on to adoption. A. Parenting Capacity assessment should be undertaken with mum to assess her ability to provide care for the child. If she has the child removed and continues to have babies and there is no change in her abilities or circumstances they will continue to be removed. It is not unknown for a mother to have many children all of whom are removed.

Just because she has never been to college doesn’t mean she can never go. What support has this girl had in her life up until now?

With PIP you do need to have some kind of professional support to apply as the process is very harsh. Most people are turned down the fist time.

What connection is she to you?

I would caution that actually termination may not be the best option- in my own experience with vulnerable girls often they just get pregnant again soon after and you then have all the issues around dealing with any trauma from having a termination. Very sad but I would just trust that social work will get support in place and be realistic that the baby may well be removed.

It is all very well for people to say she should have an abortion but if she doesn't want to then there is little any agency can do about it.

Anxiety, depression and autism, she struggles to even leave the house

She will be able to put a claim in for PIP

I'll be shouted at for this... but more thought should be directed at the baby and what sort of life it will have being brought up in that situation, than what benefits the mother will be entitled to.
An under aged girl with no education and zero prospects who needs a carer herself?
Personally, I would strongly discourage continuing with the pregnancy.

She can claim Universal Credit in her own right when she reacheds 29 weeks pregnant. It'll be a small allowance to begin with but will rise when the baby is born.

If she has disabilities is PIP an option? She can also have an extra element added if it's deemed she has LCRWA (limited capability for work related activities)

She wouldn't get a rent element paid to her as she isn't liable for it unless she is named as a joint tennent which isn't likely

How did she get pregnant if she struggles to leave the house. Was she taken advantage of ? Is social services involved they should be able to advise her

The midwife will have informed her of her options but it sounds like she is determined to go ahead with the pregnancy.

What she really needs is some kind of support that can build up her life skills. Can she read and write? She needs someone to help her learn. In normal times there are basics skills programs at college for people with learning difficulties where you can learn things like how to make a meal manage money. Has any one in the family taught her anything?

It looks like:
Her mother is willing (perhaps not able) to look after her and her baby.
There is financial support out there for her
She has a sw & specialist midwife support so can be guided and supported through the healthy pregnancy route.
They will not abandon her once the baby is born, help & support is likely to continue.
If/when they come back to family network, we, the family can pitch in and help out as much as possible.
I will personally take her to the GP for the contraceptive injection/rod when the baby is born.

A terrible terrible situation that is here to stay, I need to look at the positives for her.

If the baby is removed, who’s care will it be placed in? Her mother, another family member?

Temporarily the baby may be placed in the care of another member of the family but only if they are deemed able and then a court will decide. The baby may well be adopted outside the family.

Turned down for pip