Carelaw: Pregnancy

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Q. What shall I do if I am pregnant?

Q. What if I want to consider having an abortion?

Q. Will the baby be taken away from me?

Q. Where will I live with my baby?

Q. Will my baby be under a Care Order too?

Q. Will I be able to continue at School and look after my baby?

Q. Can I live with the baby's father?

Q. What shall I do if I am pregnant?

A. You can consult your doctor or if you contact a pregnancy advisory service such as the Brook Helpline, telephone: 0800 018 5023 (free), they should be able to advise you; you may also wish to discuss this with a foster carer, key worker or social worker.

Q. What if I want to consider having an abortion?

A. Your doctor or a pregnancy advisory service, such as the Brook Helpline should be able to advise you about services in your area. It is important to make a decision as quickly as possible as an abortion will be much more difficult after 12 weeks.

Q. Will the baby be taken away from me?

A. Your baby could only be taken away from you against your will if the court decides that it is best for the baby. The Court would have to make a decision that either you have harmed the baby or are likely to harm the baby. If you are worried that your baby may be taken away from you, you should discuss this with your solicitor.

Your baby can not be taken away from you just because you are in care or because you are very young.

Q. Where will I live with my baby?

A. Plans for where you will live should be discussed with your social worker before the birth of your baby. Your social worker will do a full assessment of your situation and help you plan where you and your baby will live and with whom. If you are unhappy with this plan, you should contact your solicitor.

Q. Will my baby be under a Care Order too?

A. Not unless the Social Services go to Court and the Judge decides to place your baby under a Care Order. The court will only do this if the Judge thinks that the baby will be at risk of significant harm unless a Care Order is made. This might be because the court does not believe that you are able to care for the baby well enough for the baby to be safe in your care.

Q. Will I be able to continue at school and look after my baby?

A. It may depend on the needs of your baby and whether any care can be arranged for your baby while you are at school. You should discuss this with your social worker.

Q. Can I live with the baby's father?

A. If you are under a Care Order, you should discuss this with your social worker, who may need to talk to your parents. A decision as to whether you can live with the father will be made by social services.

If you are NOT under a Care Order, you should discuss this with your parents as well as your social worker. A decision as to whether you can live with the father will be made by you and your parents.