Schools to open sexual health clinics to hand out contraception and abortion advice without parents' knowledge
Sexual health clinics are to be opened in secondary schools to hand out contraception and help arrange abortions.
Pupils as young as 11 will be able to drop in for free condoms, contraceptive pills, morning-after pills, pregnancy testing and screening for sexually-transmitted diseases.
Parents will be made aware of the clinics but will not be told if their children have attended.
Here's the research:
According to their report, the 16 clinics, catering for 11,805 pupils, received around 500 visits a month from pupils, most aged between 14 and 16 but some as young as 11.
The researchers tracked 515 youngsters over 15 months and found that nurses gave 55 girls the morning-after pill, with one receiving it three times.
Nurses also carried out 213 pregnancy tests for 137 girls and found that nine were pregnant.
One girl became pregnant three times and was referred each time to an abortion advisory service.
More than 100 girls were given the oral contraceptive pill or long-acting contraception injections, with 29 being referred for contraceptive implants.
The study also revealed that nurses advised just 26 per cent of youngsters in the sample - 136 - to consider delaying sex.
More research.....
However, David Paton, professor of economics at Nottingham University's Business School, said: 'Pretty much all the research on school-based family planning clinics suggests they have little or no impact on teenage pregnancy rates.
'There is a possibility that such services change the behaviour of some young people and may increase risk-taking sexual behaviour.'
And here's the kicker....
Chris Gardner, head teacher at Ashton Park School, one of the schools involved, said: 'Every parent I have spoken to has been nothing but supportive.'
I wonder if they talked to the parents whose daughter took the morning after pill three times or the parents of a 11 year old on birth control. Ahh, but then they don't know that it was their daughters.
Some of these girls are very likely victims of violent crime and the school is helping to cover it up.
If you are one of those who thinks a teen that has three abortions and a 11 year old on birth control are somehow liberated, don't even bother posting a comment.
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Related Tags: HPV, Sex Education, The Pill, Child Abuse
4 comments:
I was thinking of the crime aspect as well. Even if the boy in question is just an older teen, something should be done so the young girl is not taken advantage of.
Maybe a lot of these "parents" think there are reporting laws that are actually followed or a standard of some kind?
This is MORE than a moral issue, although it is that.
I have just began my homeschooling journey with my two young boys. I have many reasons why I have decided to homeschool, you have opened my eyes to yet another issue that most public schools will be addressing, an issue I DO NOT agree with.
Stories like this remind me that I'd really have to try to do worse than the schools would with my kids. Outrageous. I'm a libertarian nut who believes in children's civil liberties, but that's just ridiculous and makes my head explode.
>something should be done so the young girl is not taken advantage of.
I agree. But with this type of thinking, as long as she doesn't have a baby, nobody cares what happens to this young girl.
>I have just began my homeschooling journey with my two young boys.
Congratulations.
>Stories like this remind me that I'd really have to try to do worse than the schools would with my kids.
It does take some of the pressure off.
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