New Crisis Pregnancy Agency Board Meets for the First Time
Crisis pregnancy agency board recommends that a set of guidelines for professionals working with sexually active teenagers should be drawn up in line with any new legislation on the age of sexual consent.
6th December 2006 – The first meeting of the new Board for the Crisis Pregnancy Agency took place yesterday, 5th December 2006. Chairperson of the new Board, Ms Katharine Bulbulia, said that she hoped to continue and build on the work of the first Board, by overseeing the development of a new Strategy to Address the Issue of Crisis Pregnancy.
Speaking after the meeting she said: “I am looking forward to overseeing the development and implementation of the new Strategy to Address the Issue of Crisis Pregnancy. We will be focusing on a number of priorities in the development of the new strategy, such as how we can work with the Department of Education and Science to ensure the full implementation of Relationship and Sexuality Education in all schools. We will also be giving serious consideration to how we can work with employers to support and encourage women, particularly those who are younger, who become pregnant to remain in the workplace and continue their professional development.”
The Board discussed a number of recent developments in the work of the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. It has been announced that the National University of Ireland, Maynooth is to develop the first accredited course in crisis pregnancy counselling skills, in partnership with the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. This part-time course, initially aimed at people working in State-funded services, is expected to commence in September 2007.
Commenting on this development, Ms. Bulbulia said: “This is an important development, not only for the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and the counselling agencies we work with, but for the women who attend these services. It will set a common standard in crisis pregnancy counselling practice, and will assist crisis pregnancy counsellors, in developing their crisis pregnancy counselling skills.
The Board discussed the recent proposals from the Oireachtas Committee on Child Protection regarding the Age of Consent. The Board considered the issue from the point of view of professionals, such as crisis pregnancy counsellors, who provide services to young people. The Board agreed that a set of guidelines should be produced for professionals working with sexually active young people, with regard to the proposed new law on the age of consent.
Ms, Bulbulia said: “Professionals working with sexually active young people are in a very difficult position. If they refuse to provide services to young teenagers without parental consent, the teenager may not access services. If the professional agrees to see the teenager, without parental consent, it is unclear as to whether or not they are in breach of the law. * Professionals need clarity on this. It is my view, and the view of the Board, that guidelines for professionals working with sexually active young people need to be developed and published in conjunction with the proposed new law”.
Members of the new Board are:
Ms Katharine Bulbulia: Chairperson,
Anne Flood: Director, Centre for Nurse/Midwifery Education, St. Conal’s Hospital, Letterkenny.
Fergal Goodman: Principal Officer, Dept of Health of Children
Sally-Ann Flanagan: Mayor of Tuam
Maureen Bohan: Senior Inspector, Dept of Education and Science
Rosemary Grant: Principal Medical Social Worker, The Coombe Women’s Hospital
Helen Faughnan: Principal Officer, Department of Social and Family Affairs
Geraldine Luddy: Director, Women’s Health Council
Peter Finnegan: Businessman
ENDS/
For more information, please contact:
Orla McGowan
Programmes and Communications Officer
Crisis Pregnancy Agency
01-8146292
086-3785366
*Notes to Editors
Those aged under 16 cannot consent to medical treatment and clinical examination without parental consent. Medical treatment could include prescribing contraception, STI screening and some forms of pregnancy testing.
There is no legal obligation to report circumstances of underage sexual activity, despite the fact that it is illegal. There is no provision for mandatory reporting. The law allows for discretion in this regard. However, a responsibility may arise to pass on such information to the appropriate authorities.
However, when a teenager requests information and advice only, then the service provider must ensure that the information is age specific, recorded and in the best interests of the child, ensuring that there is no coercion.
