How we can help
If you are a young parent or are pregnant and are aged under the age of 25, then Young Parents' Network may be able to offer you support:
School age mothers' projects
If you are 16 years old or younger and you are a parent or pregnant you can contact us or your local Education and Library Board. Support is now available in every Education and Library Board area but may vary depending on where you live e.g. there could be a programme for one day per week or four days per week. But contact us and then we can tell you what is available in your area and how you can link in with it or link to our website www.youngmums.org.uk .
Young parents' drop in
If you are under 25, years old, have a child or are pregnant you might want to meet other young parents or you might need advice and information. Other people in this situation have told us that they can feel very lonely and isolated and are under a lot of pressure e.g. about money, about their child, about housing or about their relationships. You may have a lot of support from family and friends, or you may have very little. Even if there are people who want to support you they don’t always know how and this can be a problem too – you may feel pressurised, judged or misunderstood.
By meeting with a Young Parents' Network worker and with other young parents you will feel more confident, less isolated or better able to cope. Sometimes the groups are informal e.g. drop-ins or sometimes there are courses on assertiveness or child development. Contact us and we can tell you if there is a group in your area, or who else might be able to support you locally.
Network
In March 2000 a network of young parents was set up across Northern Ireland. This network enables parents who have been involved with the project in different communities to come together to address issues, which affect their lives. This is done in a variety of ways such as facilitating workshops and seminars, using media opportunities to challenge some widely held negative attitudes and stereotypes, and pro-actively informing and influencing policy developments. You might want to get involved in this if you feel you want to use your experience to help other young parents or to change attitudes or help make sure that other young parents can get the support they need when they need it.
Advice
Barnardo’s Young Parents’ Network can offer you advice and information over the phone and point you in the right direction for further advice. We know what it is like to have to jump through hoops to get basic information and will make it as easy as possible for you to get the advice you need when you need it.
'One Stop' information service
Young Parents Network recognises the difficulties faced by young parents and their families to access information.
Young Parents Network have identified an increasing need for a one stop service to provide information and advice to young women who are pregnant, young parents, their families and professionals who work with them. Our aim is to provide free, confidential, impartial, up-to-date, accessible, advice and information enabling young parents to make informed choices.
Young Parents Advice and Information Bureau will provide advice and information on a wide range of issues including, Ssocial security Bbenefits and entitlements, housing, employment, education, consumer rights, relationships and childcare.
The Young Parents Advice and Information Bureau can:
- ensure that young parents are in receipt of the correct benefits and benefit rates.
- carry-out 'better off' calculations to help you decide if returning to work is the right thing for you.
- assist you to fill the appropriate forms.
- liaison with other organisations on your behalf.
- follow up on all issues raised so that your concerns are resolved.
- carry-out home visits
- provide you with information on support networks and childcare in your area
Our advice worker will be available for individual and group consultations, workshops and telephone consultations. Find out how to contact our advice worker here.
