Teenage Pregnancy and School Dropout: A Case of Australia

This presentation discusses the issue of teenage pregnancy and school dropout in Australia. It highlights the challenges faced by young mothers and suggests solutions to support them in completing their studies and shaping their future.

Teenage pregnancy
and school dropout
A CASE OF AUSTRALIA

Background of the issue
 It has been observed that 50% of all the incidents of pregnancy is unplanned in
Australia.
 The most striking fact is that victim of such situations are teenagers more than
adults (Hodgkinson et al., 2014). Even though young generation is aware of
contraceptive methods, in reality they hardly use it and it is needless to say no
contraceptive procedure is entirely effective.
 In spite of using contraceptive methods perfectly, according to WHO the world
come across with six million cases of unplanned pregnancies every year (Subissi
et al., 2018).

The concept of teenage
motherhood
 Although, motherhood is an important stage of every woman, teenage
motherhood is critical in terms of degrading social and health condition.
 A teenager girl goes through so many hormonal changes at once.
Meanwhile, such unexpected motherhood makes extreme physical and
mental transformation of which the girl was not prepare about
(Hodgkinson et al., 2014).
 Studies have conducted across Australia to understand the concept of
premature pregnancy and its outcome.
 Most of those studies highlighted teen mothers’ struggle in completing
basic high school study. As motherhood brings increased responsibility
towards the child and social image.

The concept of teenage
motherhood
 Young mothers’ need great courage to deal with social perception of
motherhood. The psychological change is difficult to face while dealing
with added responsibilities, managing household chores and balancing
work and taking care of the baby at the same time.
 The most traumatic part is that, in most of the cases, they end up being
a single mother supported by community members or cousins and
friends. Having family support is exceptional.
 Teenage girls due to increased responsibilities cannot complete their
studies and they continue to ruin their career by choosing to drop out
their curriculum and earn money for livelihood. Consequently, they waste
their potential and settle for low income jobs for earning livelihood.

Concerns of teenage mothers
 Social workers and social liability is higher in these
cases. Apart from health concerns, in some of the
cases mothers are abandoned from their
communities are forced to live on her own.
 At that moment, mothers have to deal with
embarrassment rather than enjoying the new
blessings in life (Lilienfeld, Pasamanick &
Rogers, 2016).
 At this early age, instead of being happy they feel
pressurized and aggressive towards the baby for
brining unnecessary trouble in life (Chow et
al.,2016).
 Another factor is that, they crave for attention,
support and love in this stage yet cannot find
anyone dependable. Additionally, they have to
sacrifice career, wish of having a stress free life.

Expectation of young mothers:
solutions
 Therefore, in order to bring some solution to it, precautionary awareness is must
across school, colleges and social welfare camps. The right and effective usage of
contraceptive methods must have been circulated among them.
 All the researches concludes with the fact that social service providers must develop
policies to support community of young mothers.
 According to Hodgkinson et al. (2014), families have to understand their role in saving
their children’s mental and physical condition, the transformed perception and the
current depression they are dealing with.
 Their own mothers, cousins, friends, aunts and grandparents are the one who can
support young mothers for gathering courage of starting afresh.
 Amongst all the most crucial part is to re-engage them into studies and inspiring them
throughout the process. They have to find a meaning of their life too if they want to
shape the future of their kid in the long run.

The condition of Australia: brief statistics
 Currently, as observed by various
surveys, additionally confirmed by
director of Sexual Health and Family
Planning, Australia the number of
Australian teen mothers is at its
lowest level in the beginning of 2016.
 In 2014, it was no less than 3%
which makes the proportion of
teenage pregnancy and by the
starting of 2015 it has lowered by
0.2%.

Role of social works
 Considering the previous statistical
report as the result of positive social
work; social works can be discussed
to achieve that condition.
 The social works are as follows.
 Apart from social welfare
organisations, even schools and
colleges are taking the matter of
better sex education and circulating
contraceptive information seriously.
 Although, Australia is behind other
western countries that does not
mean the existing problems are not
present. There are still issues related
to accessing proper health and
hygiene necessities with teen
mothers. Due to geographical
distances, mothers are not getting
the adequate service of health.

Significance of the social works
 These gestures are basic towards teen mothers considering the budding psychological
development.
 Educational institutes must initiate distance learning programmes or if possible
students can join their regular classes as well.
 These supporting gestures are important not only as it is helpful for the community,
but also it will shape future of a large number of Australian Kid (Ray et al., 2016).

Significance of the social works
 There are numerous examples of school dropouts, who have to wait
another five years starting from pregnancy to restart formal curriculum
of study.
 However, with the e-learning or distance learning programme students
can learn and take care of her responsibilities at the same time.
 Supporting young mothers, would be helpful in terms of letting them to
contribute positive works not only to the society but to their families as
well.

More important statistics
 The approach of skilled social workers are
kind of different.
 Yet the treated issues are same like social
isolation, shame and depression. 40% of
them fail to complete their graduation
whereas no less than 50% of them struggles
to find a stable employment opportunity.

More important statistics
 It has been observed by studies like
Freeman and Simonsen, (2015),
distance educational programmes
are more effective as it makes them
working in a part time job too.
 According to a skilled approach in
social working procedures,
involvement and interest of local
schools, colleges and academic
institutions are necessary.

A Professional and skilled social worker’s role
 Programs must be well designed by the NGO team members to restrict
the number of teen students from dropping out of the schools.
 A professional approach would be to establish a school for single teen
mothers only. In case it is feasible for them let them join the night
classes. Otherwise, distance classes will be available for balancing job
and study at the same time.
 NGOs with same objectives, must be contacted and ask for
collaboration to work for such important issues. Schooling will be more
effective for them if they realise their children are safe and sound.

A Professional and skilled social worker’s role
 Therefore, mothers who generally bring their child to a school premises, happy to
have the opportunity of playing with toys, have chance to meet other kids as well.
 Free health check-ups are available for both the mother and child.
 Every mother needs to practice meditation, counselling and for that group therapy
sessions are arranged by skilled social organisations.
 To perform better in studies professional approach has been taken by helping the
students with supportive study materials.

A Professional and skilled social worker’s role
 Moreover, students have their classes where motivational speeches are
performed. Various successful examples and stories are shared, of
single mothers, who have been fighting against the situation to
establish an identity of herself. This motivation classes are extremely
helpful to re-energise and shape the life differently.
 Necessary legal assistance would be needed to treat the school
environment, to mitigate issues of discrimination within school
premises and to avoid any kind of unpleasant student ragging.

A Professional and skilled social worker’s role
 A supervision process is necessary in order to verify, if the desired
solution or outcome has approached or not in terms of developing
mental health of young mothers through offering them opportunities of
completing their study.

References
Freeman, J., & Simonsen, B. (2015). Examining the impact of policy and practice interventions on high school
dropout and school completion rates: A systematic review of the literature. Review of Educational
Research, 85(2), 205-248.
Hodgkinson, S., Beers, L., Southammakosane, C., & Lewin, A. (2014). Addressing the mental health needs of
pregnant and parenting adolescents. Pediatrics, 133(1), 114-122.
Ray, J. G., Vermeulen, M. J., Bharatha, A., Montanera, W. J., & Park, A. L. (2016). Association between MRI
exposure during pregnancy and fetal and childhood outcomes. Jama, 316(9), 952-961.
Subissi, L., Dub, T., Besnard, M., Mariteragi-Helle, T., Nhan, T., Lutringer-Magnin, D., ... & Baud, D. (2018). Zika
Virus Infection during Pregnancy and Effects on Early Childhood Development, French Polynesia, 2013–2016.
Emerging infectious diseases, 24(10), 1850.
Chow, E. J., Stratton, K. L., Leisenring, W. M., Oeffinger, K. C., Sklar, C. A., Donaldson, S. S., ... & Shnorhavorian,
M. (2016). Pregnancy after chemotherapy in male and female survivors of childhood cancer treated between
1970 and 1999: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study cohort. The Lancet Oncology, 17(5), 567-576.
Lilienfeld, A. M., Pasamanick, B., & Rogers, M. (2016). Relationship between pregnancy experience and the
development of certain neuropsychiatric disorders in childhood. International journal of epidemiology, 45(2),
311-316.

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