VOLUME 8 - ISSUE 2 May 2010

HIGHLIGHTS

• Number of Women Giving Irish Addresses at UK Abortion Clinics Decreases for Eighth Year in a Row According to Department of Health UK
• Upcoming Training Courses for Youth Workers to Delay Early Sex Among Young People
• Research Summary on Sexual Health for GPs and Practice Nurses
• CURA Annual Conference 2010

Number of Women Giving Irish Addresses at UK Abortion Clinics Decreases for Eighth Year in a Row According to Department of Health UK

Figures issued by the UK Department of Health, show that there has, for the eighth successive year, been a decrease in the number of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics.

 

 

*based on female population 15-19 years

**based on female population 15-44 years

***based on female population 35-44 years

 

 

Since 2001 (the year the Crisis Pregnancy Agency was established), the number of women giving Irish addresses at UK abortion clinics has decreased from 6,673 to 4,422 in 2009. There was also a decline in the number of women giving Irish addresses at abortion clinics in the Netherlands in 2009. Statistics gathered by the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme show that the number of women giving Irish addresses at clinics in the Netherlands fell from 351 in 2008 to 134 in 2009.

 

Caroline Spillane, Director of the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme said: “The abortion rate has dropped across all age groups since our establishment in 2001, particularly among teenagers and women in their 20s. Our focus will remain on utilising this data along with other sexual health research to reduce the number of women experiencing crisis pregnancy and to tailor supports for those who do have a crisis pregnancy.”

 

For more information click here

 

For information about free post-abortion medical and counselling services funded by the Crisis Pregnancy Programme, visit abortionaftercare.ie or freetext AFTERCARE to 50444.

 

 

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Upcoming Training Courses for Youth Workers to Delay Early Sex Among Young People

Upcoming training courses which aim to provide youth workers with information and skills to assist them in encouraging teenagers to delay early sex are set to be held in Monaghan, Mayo and Waterford in June. The two-day ‘Leave it till Later’/ Delay Training courses will be delivered by the National Youth Council of Ireland and are funded by the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme. Training courses are available free of charge to those working with young people in youth work, out-of-school or non-formal education settings and will explore the concept of delaying early sex among young people.

 

The course aims to:

• Look at the causes and effects of early sex and current research findings.

• Understand the role played by the media and peer pressure in influencing young people’s decision making.

• Explore a range of ways of working with young people to help them make positive and healthy decisions for themselves.

• Impart skills which can be passed onto young people in how to say ‘No’ and resist pressure.

• Explore the role of friendship in the development of healthy relationships.

 

Feedback from past participants of the course included:

 

“I thought the concept of Delay and the fact that the training incorporates looking at friendships, self esteem and communication useful”

 

“The course was thought provoking with realistic challenges to use with young people”

 

The next training courses will take place on the following dates:
2nd & 3rd June - Monaghan
15th & 16th June - Mayo
22nd & 23rd June - Waterford

 

The training course is a strand of the Crisis Pregnancy Programme’s ‘B4 u decide’ initiative which was launched in December to encourage teenagers to delay early sexual activity.

 

For further information or to book training courses, please contact Lisa or Elaine, NYCI on 01 478 4122 or visit www.youth.ie

 

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Research Summary on Sexual Health for GPs and Practice Nurses

The Crisis Pregnancy Programme has developed a range of leaflets, designed to bring its research findings to key audiences in a concise, easy-to-read format. Research summaries highlight key findings for groups that play roles in crisis pregnancy prevention and support. The Crisis Pregnancy Programme is embarking on another dissemination run of our research summary for GPs and practice nurses or other health professionals working in the area of sexual health. This ‘research summary’ outlines findings from research on sexual health behaviours and crisis pregnancy.

 

The ‘Research Summary’ series is part of the Crisis Pregnancy Programme’s commitment to disseminating research findings in order to further develop an understanding of the issues surrounding crisis pregnancy.

 

To view the ‘research summary’ for GPs and practice nurses click here

 

To order a copy of the ‘research summary’ for GPs and practice nurses, please email info@crisispregnancy.ie or call 01 814 62 92.

 

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CURA Annual Conference 2010

The CURA National Conference was held in the Sheraton Hotel, Athlone, Co. Westmeath on 26th & 27th of March. This year a group of 12 Cura Counsellors who have completed the Certificate Course in Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Skills delivered by the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, and funded by the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme, worked with National Office staff on the planning, preparation, and delivery of the key elements of the Conference Programme. Approximately 180 CURA counsellors attended the conference from 16 centres and three outreach services throughout the country, and participated in the training sessions provided to enhance their crisis pregnancy counselling skills and specific knowledge in relation to key issues relevant to the field.

 

On Saturday 27th the conference opened with a presentation by Berit Anderson, Senior Social Worker, Pact, who addressed the first theme of the training; ‘Adoption as an option in crisis pregnancy counselling’. During the afternoon session, Fergus Hogan, Coordinator of the Centre for Social and Family Research at Waterford Institute of Technology, presented on the second theme; ‘Role of the father in crisis pregnancy counselling’. Berit and Fergus also provide similar inputs to the Certificate Course in Crisis Pregnancy Counselling Skills. Anne Mc McCarthy, training and development consultant and core tutor on the NUI Certificate course, facilitated the two training sessions.

 

The content of the training provided an opportunity for new learning and sharing of experiences among those in attendance.

 

 

Pictured at the Cura National Conference are the Conference Support Team.

Back left to right: Noël Moylan (Kerry Centre), Elibhe Heaphy (Cork Centre), Anne Murphy (Galway Centre), Denise Cott (Cork Centre), Carmel Murphy (Cork Centre), Helen Feeney (Thurles Centre), Paula Sheils (Ennis Centre). Front left to right: Angela Mullen (Monaghan Centre), Caroline O’Shaughnessy (Galway Centre), Louise Graham (National Coordinator), Ann McCarthy (Conference Facilitator), Aelish Tuite (Castlebar Centre), Maura McCullagh (Thurles Centre)

 

For further information about the conference, please contact Louise Graham, National Coordinator, CURA on 01 505 3040.

 

 

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HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme, 4th Floor, 89 - 94 Capel Street, Dublin 1
T: +353 1 814 6292 | F: +353 1 814 6282 | E: info@crisispregnancy.ie

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