Crisis Pregnancy Agency Launches 2004 Annual Report
The Crisis Pregnancy Agency today launched its 2004 Annual Report and presented a copy to the Tanaiste and Minister for Health and Children, Mary Harney TD. The report is available on www.crisispregnancy.ie.
The Annual Report shows that over the past three years, the Crisis Pregnancy Agency has increased the amount of crisis pregnancy counselling available in the country by more than 50 per cent. This year, the Agency will allocate more than €3.5 million towards supports and services within crisis pregnancy. Counselling services are free of charge to women experiencing a crisis pregnancy.
The Annual Report also shows that the Agency’s Positive Options text service has responded to over 300,000 information requests for crisis pregnancy counselling services made via mobile phone since it was established in late 2002. There have been 61,000 requests so far this year.
Olive Braiden, Chair of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency said: “The last year has been the busiest in the three-year history of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and significant progress was made in delivering our strategy to address the issue of crisis pregnancy. The Agency works very hard to create a more supportive environment for women who are at risk of, or experience, a crisis pregnancy.”
The Agency’s Chair went on to say that she believes the 50 per cent increase in crisis pregnancy counselling services marks a very tangible achievement by the Agency. She added that she believes there is an increased level of informed debate and decision making on crisis pregnancy and an increased level of understanding and tolerance for diversity in society.
However, she said that there was still some unevenness in the level of services around the country. “I have long held a view that women who find themselves in a situation with a crisis pregnancy need to know that there are really good services on offer to them. They need to know that there is a consistency between the services available in one part of the country and another. They should not have to go to another county, town or city to get the services that they need, unless they want to go themselves. I believe women have a right to these good services as citizens of the State.
“I believe the State and the professionals that work for it, whether doctors, social workers and other healthcare professionals, can play their part in delivering good services. In parts, the State is already playing a good role: three of the new services that are available to women with crisis pregnancies have been developed in partnership with the HSE. These services, in the former Midland Health Board area, at Portiuncula Hospital in Galway and Mayo General, are innovative, cost effective models and deliver State-provided counselling services.
“The Midland Health Board model is a very innovative one. It operates out of six locations across the region rather than one central one. It meets geographical needs in an excellent way with a total cost of approximately €80,000. This is an excellent example of good public services and good value for money for the taxpayer.
“There are other parts of the State where there is under-servicing. I believe the models that have been developed by the State show that high quality counselling services can be delivered within the HSE structure and I would urge it to take these models and implement them across the country. Women with crisis pregnancies deserve this and state-provided counselling services should be there as a right,” Ms Braiden said.
Speaking about the work of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency in 2004, Caroline Spillane, Acting Director of the Agency said: “A Manual of Good Practice for Crisis Pregnancy Counsellors and an accompanying training module is being rolled out to ensure that counsellors throughout the country are supported to provide a consistent, high-quality service. This is an important development as our research shows that there is a demand for crisis pregnancy counselling and women deserve a sympathetic, non-judgemental service.
“We are also continuing our work on the draft Framework for Contraceptive Services, which aims to reduce crisis pregnancy by improving choice, information and access to contraceptive services nationally.”
Discussing the research function of the Agency, Ms Spillane said: “Our research programme was designed both to identify and explore the contributory factors in the phenomenon of crisis pregnancy and to ensure that the Agency’s strategy is always grounded in a reliable evidence base. Our research found that 18 – 25 year olds engage in a high level of sexual risk taking and are less likely to consistently use contraception than other age groups. It also confirmed that the age of first sexual intercourse is dropping and that the vast majority of young adults have been sexually active by the time they reach the age of 24.
“In 2004 the Agency began its Think Contraception advertising campaign which aims to prevent crisis pregnancies, with the message that consistent use of contraception is the most effective way to prevent an unplanned pregnancy. Research conducted in December by Lansdowne Market Research found that two out of three people surveyed recalled the slogan ‘No Matter Where or When, Think Contraception’,” Ms Spillane said.
For Further Information:
Crisis Pregnancy Agency 01-8146292
Caroline Spillane
Q4 Public Relations 01-4751444
Orla Mc Gowan 086-3785366
Notes
About the Crisis Pregnancy Agency
The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is a planning and co-ordinating body established to formulate and implement a strategy to address the issue of crisis pregnancy in Ireland through;
(a) a reduction in the number of crisis pregnancies by the provision of education, advice and contraceptive services
(b) a reduction in the number of women with crisis pregnancies who opt for abortion by offering services and supports which make other options more attractive
(c) the provision of counselling and medical services after crisis pregnancy.
Additional Communications and Programmes Activities 2004
• 400,000 “Baby?” packs were distributed at entertainment events for 18-30 year olds and to third level students, to heighten awareness of the increased possibility of sexual risk taking when alcohol is consumed.
• In response to requests from parent support groups for help on how to begin talking to their children about sexual health and relationships, the Agency developed a DVD and booklet called “You Can Talk To Me”.
Key Research Activities 2004
The Agency invested over €560,000 in commissioning new research projects in 2004 including:
1. Literature review of the emotional and psycho-social effects of abortion on women
2. The experience of concealed pregnancy in Ireland.
3. Towards a Teen Knowledge Attitudes and Behaviour Survey: A scoping study
4. Relationship and sex education: An understanding of barriers and facilitators to implementation.
5. Third level audit: A research project designed to audit pregnancy prevention supports and services in third level colleges
6. Work-life balance in Ireland: A literature review and analysis of research gaps
7. Influencing the workplace and workplace networks: An analysis
8. Additional analysis of the Crisis Pregnancy Ageny’s ICCP survey
9. Additional analysis of: “Understanding how sexually active women think about fertility, sex and motherhood”
10. The development if a strategic evaluation framework for the Crisis Pregnancy Agency
The Crisis Pregnancy Agency is currently working toward completing a national survey, commissioned by the Department of Health and Children and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, into adult sexual Knowledge, Attitude and Behaviour. The survey, conducted by the ESRI and the RCSI is due to be published early in 2006.
Key Funding Programme Activities 2004
The Agency provided €3.8m to over 60 supported organisations and projects in 2004. This included €1.2m to established crisis pregnancy counselling organisations: Cura, Dublin Well Woman Centre, Irish Family Planning Assocation (IFPA), Life Pregnancy Care, One Family and PACT.
The Agency also administered funding to established crisis pregnancy counselling organisations and other agencies to support:
- 16 projects in the area of crisis pregnancy prevention
- 31 projects in the area of services and supports for women experiencing crisis pregnancy
- 18 crisis pregnancy counselling related projects
- 17 projects related to post crisis pregnancy supports
Cross Functional Programmes
A number of other projects were undertaken in 2004. These included:
The development of Information Resources to fill gaps in information identified in 2003. Research identified a lack of materials for children under 12 years, materials for young people aged 13 to 18 years, materials for young adults aged 19-25 years, materials for parents to use in talking to their children about sex and reproductive health and information for older women.
The Agency worked with its partners to identify an approach to addressing the issue of “Rogue” Counselling Agencies. These agencies claim to offer counselling services but once they have been contacted by a prospective client, seek to delay the counselling process and in certain cases subject clients to disturbing video materials in an effort to manipulate the choice that a woman might make. Unfortunately the Agency is aware that there is a limited amount that can be done to address the threat posed by these agencies until a case is taken by an affected person.
