Social Services

[BethieP]

Hi,
I'm 17 years old and I'm 10 weeks pregnant. I have a stable relationship but I live in a children's home however this is going to change in September as I'm moving into my own place.I have a councellor too who I see once a month. Will this stop me from keeping the baby when it is born?
Bx

I don't think any of us are qualified to give you a 100% answer. We don't know you, we don't know your history and we don't know your circumstances.

I do know that social services aim to keep families together and would always look to support a mother first and foremost to keep her child and that splitting a baby from their mother would only happen if there really was no other way to keep that baby safe. Being a teen mother is not a problem - many many women are! Being in care is not a problem - many many women have been.

Does your social worker know you are pregnant?

Oh, I should say that I used to be the residential support at a project for young women with behavioural problems. They'd come to me from foster care and would stay with me until I and my managers felt they were ready for independent living and then we'd move them into a flat of their own and continue to support them there.

So I do know a bit about it.

i am 15 and have social involed they are going to do a pre-birth assment when i am 20 weeks up untill baby is born and from then assment then decide weather to take my baby into care ,with a family member ,to do further assments in a family unit or do further assments at home or no further assments. they do the assments based on lots of thing such as your backround your realtionship with your partner weather you go to all appoiments set money issues and what other class you do i think they assy you on other things to but aslong as you do everything they ask and do everything right it should be okay. me and my boyfriend are most likly to go in to assment unit because of my age. but if you are going to conciling that is good because you can say you are working through past problems that what i am doing i also go to parting class and my boyfriend gose to young fathers group with map. its alot of pressure but if like me you havet actully done anything wrong and have no history with alochol drugs or police then as long as you do everything they ask you should be alright. hope this was helpfull xxx

Layler is completely right. I've worked with care leavers for a long time and you will often have pre-birth assessments on the basis of age, lack of family support, emotional vulnerability etc. it doesn't mean they think the baby will be at risk and it is extremely unlikely to lead to removing the child unless there are factors like domestic violence, drugs, mental health etc and even then it's very much a final resort.

I am a SW and in our LA they would do a pre birth risk assessment and work along with you to ensure you have the right supports to enable you to care for your child. There are often groups for young parents and specialist midwives who can advise and assist. Hopefully you will work along with SW to maximise the chances of keeping your baby. I have met many fantastic young mums who have done very well. Good luck.