The government’s response to baseless concerns that teenagers are now going to be out in force trying to procreate thanks to increases in the baby bonus is to hire young mums to go and talk some sense into these teens. Reported here.
On the surface, it appears like a standard and valuable policy idea. But, given the research that came out of the NSW Young Parents Forums last year it only goes to show how little respect young people are given.
The idea that young women are having babies purely for the baby bonus is ridiculous.
A vast majority of teenage mums (which are a pretty small group anyway) have diverse and different motivations for having children. They realise
If anything, the baby bonus/teen mum issue is a socio-economic issue that comes from people already having a damn tough time. It isn’t their young motherhood that is the problem it is leaving school early, inadequate services to support them, family issues and the associated million and one problems that come with having barely enough money to survive in a consumer society.
My concern sending young mums into say “being a teenage mum is bad” is the impact that had on them. Many teenage mums say the experience was difficult, but was really valuable and worthwhile for them. It would have been better with less stereotyping and a bit more support. Many of these mums were out studying and working and contributing to society in a far more significant way that many other women their age.
No one wants teenagers to be in the situation, but surely good sex and relationship education is a far better preventative measure than sending young mums in to talk about how bad it is to be a teenage mum.
The idea of the Young Parents Forum was to begin shifting simplistic policy ideas like these ones. Obviously, there is more work to do.