Crisis Pregnancy Ireland – Crisis Pregnancy Programme

HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme and Equality Authority publish pregnancy at work research

The HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme (CPP) and the Equality Authority today released ‘Pregnancy at Work: A National Survey’ - a major new research report which presents the findings of Ireland’s first nationally representative survey of women’s experiences at work during and after pregnancy. The majority of mothers with young children and women of childbearing age are now in the workforce and their experience at work during and after pregnancy have become increasingly relevant over time.

The survey sample of 2,300 women was randomly selected from the Department of Social Protection’s universal child benefit register and comprised of women whose youngest child was born between July 2007 and June 2009. The research report was prepared by Dr Helen Russell, Dr Dorothy Watson and Dr Joanne Banks of the ESRI.

Areas surveyed include treatment by employers during pregnancy, health and safety, crisis pregnancy, maternity leave, parental leave and return to work. For the very first time, this survey provides compelling evidence that work-related reasons are a contributory factor in crisis pregnancy experience.

Do you encounter clients with an unplanned pregnancy? In the course of your professional life do you have some responsibility for supporting people who find themselves in this situation? You may be for example, a doctor, nurse, social worker, therapist, chaplain, pastoral care worker, youth worker, volunteer or teacher. If so the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme in conjunction with the Department of Adult and Community Education, National University of Ireland Maynooth has developed a suite of Masterclasses which may be of interest to you.

The aim of these Masterclasses is to create an opportunity for professionals to gain more in-depth knowledge and skills to assist them in managing the challenges that present around unplanned pregnancy.

These Masterclasses further support the work of the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme in the area of quality and standards development in the broad field of supporting clients with unplanned pregnancy.

Masterclass 1 Termination: Dealing with complex issues
16th September 2011; 10.00am – 4.30pm
Over 4,000 Irish women travelled in 2009 to the UK for termination of their pregnancy. Yet this experience is rarely discussed by these women or by the wider society. Professionals who encounter this issue with their clients need clear information and guidelines as well as an opportunity to discuss and clarify thoughts and feelings about termination of pregnancy. The aim of this session is to reflect together on the complexity of working with clients to assist them arrive at their own true choice.

Masterclass 2 Supporting minors in crisis pregnancy
4th November 2011; 10.00am – 4.30pm
This Masterclass will address the issue of supporting minors involved in a crisis pregnancy. The day will be facilitated by the team from BASE in Ballyfermot. The project is also holistic in that it seeks to engage proactively with the key institutions and people in the young person’s life. The afternoon session will address the legal issues involved in working with minors. The aim is to reflect on the practical and emotional support required by young people.

Masterclass 3 The role of the father in crisis pregnancy
3rd February 2012; 10.00am – 4.30pm
The role of the father in Irish society can be complex. There are many anomalies in Irish law that can make it difficult for a father to participate fully in his child’s life, especially in the context of unplanned pregnancy. This day will address men’s experience of crisis pregnancy and pregnancy loss. It will examine research that challenges perceptions of men, and particularly men in relation to crisis pregnancy, termination of pregnancy, and their own sexuality. As a result of attending the day, participants will be in a better position to include the father as a key person in addressing the experience.

Fee: €30 per Masterclass. All Masterclasses to be held in the North Campus NUI Maynooth, Co Kildare.

The Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy (ICCP) 2010 survey - Information for the public

Researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and Amárach Research are conducting a study for the HSE Crisis Pregnancy Programme (CPP), (formerly known as the Crisis Pregnancy Agency). It is a survey about knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of men and women in relation to crisis pregnancy, contraception, and sexual health. We hope the information it provides will help improve policies and services in Ireland, particularly for younger people. We at the Crisis Pregnancy Programme greatly appreciate the cooperation of members of the public who may be contacted asked to participate. The researchers have selected phone numbers at random and may phone you explaining the survey. Your name will not be known by the researchers and your phone number will be replaced by an identification code after you complete the survey. This way all the answers you give will be completely anonymous and confidential.

The ICCP 2010 is a follow-on project from the ICCP 2003 survey (published in 2004), and completed by RCSI and ESRI. You can see the report of this survey here.

That first ICCP report has been used consistently by the CPP to develop initiatives and plans including our ‘Positive Options’ and ‘Think Contraception’ campaigns, as well as to help develop plans for relationship and sexuality education in schools. Now seven years on, we want to see what has changed in Irish society so we can make our messages more clear and relevant in a rapidly changing modern world.

If you have any queries about the research please contact Mary Smith, the Research Officer at the Crisis Pregnancy Programme, or any member of the research team. Our phone number is 01-8146292. Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Freephone number at RCSI – 1800 940026 – the researchers there are Dr Orla McBride or Dr Karen Morgan.

We hope that if the researchers contact you that you will agree to take part in the survey, and we wish to thank you most sincerely for your cooperation.