Help and advice?

Although the decision is yours to make talking to people you trust and getting accurate information about all your options can help you to make up your mind.

Pluck up the courage as soon as you can to tell your partner and/or your parents/carer that you are pregnant. It may feel difficult but whatever decision you make it is important that you don’t feel alone and have someone to support you.

You might prefer to talk to someone who isn’t close to you. You can talk confidentially and free of charge about the pregnancy and what your options are to a nurse, doctor or counsellor at a local CaSH clinic or the Well Women Centre or with your GP.

If you decide you would like some pregnancy counselling, the counsellor will listen and support you to find the way forward that feels right for you – they will not judge you.

The following organisations also have free, confidential help lines:

• Marie Stopes – 0845 300 8090
• British Pregnancy Advisory Service (bpas) – 08457 304 030.
• Brook (for young people under 25) – 0800 0185 023
• Family Planning Association (fpa) helpline – 0845 122 8690

Thinking about your life now and in the future might be helpful - what’s important to you now and what are your hopes and aims for the future? 

If you would like to hear about the experiences of being a young parent we’ve worked with One to One Productions to make a DVD called ‘Teens with Tots – 24/7'.  Here local, young mums and dads tell us honestly about what it's like for them to be a young parent.