Lifelong Learning Project - School Inclusion - Preventing Early School Leaving

Young Mothers: A study of Young Single Mothers in Two Communities

Valerie Richardson

UCD Dublin

Ireland 2000

Report

English

English

This report resulted from an initiative taken by the Vincentian Partnership for Justice who had identified the issue of young single mothers as a research priority for the Millennium. This research project has a number of objectives:
 To promote understanding and knowledge based on systematic research of a sub group of the lone parent population in Ireland.
 To document the experiences and current situation of young single mothers in two local areas.
 To identify their perceived needs not only materially, but in terms of social support, social integration, education, training and employment.
 To examine how having children at a relatively young age has impacted on their lives
 To explore the possible role of voluntary organisations and community groups in initiatives to improve the quality of life of young single mothers and that of their children.
It indicated that adolescent childbirth is associated with low educational achievement, lack of employment opportunities, low socio-economic status and low self esteem, all of which contribute to the likelihood of early pregnancy as well as to the consequences of it
The study found that the impact of teen pregnancy had a significant impact on lifestyle and educational attainment. There was a low level of educational attainment among the women, together with early school leaving. The majority of the women had left school prior to their pregnancy and regretted this, hoping to return to education at a later time. However, the main aspirations for the future of their children were that they should remain in education and use that education to obtain good employment. They were adamant that they did not want their children to make the same mistakes they had done, particularly in relation to early school leaving. The findings of this study give rise to a number of recommendations which fall into three main areas: prevention, current support and future initiatives.

http://www.ucd.ie/ssrc/youngmotherssum.doc

Ann Caulfield

Mayo Education Centre

Researcher