Teen Pregnancies Drop, But New Programme To Address Growing Challenges For Young Parents In Kildare

Monday, 13 January 2025 10:29

By Martin Osborne

Samantha Dunne, National Manager for the programmes, noted that while teenage pregnancies have decreased - from 3,135 births in 1999 to 705 in 2023 - cases have become more complex.

A long-running support programme for teenage parents in Kildare is evolving to address the changing needs of at-risk families.

The Teen Parent Support Programme (TPSP), which has supported approximately 10,000 young parents over 25 years, celebrated its milestone with the launch of the new Young Parents Support Programme (YPSP).

The TPSP initially operated in three counties and expanded to ten.

It will now transition to the YPSP, which aims to support parents under 24, extending services to the child’s first 1,000 days of life.

By 2027, the YPSP will expand to 19 counties, with plans for nationwide coverage in the future.

Samantha Dunne, National Manager for the programmes, noted that while teenage pregnancies have decreased - from 3,135 births in 1999 to 705 in 2023 - cases have become more complex.

Issues such as mental health struggles, homelessness, and substance misuse have highlighted the need for expanded support.

The new initiative, coordinated by Treoir, is set to continue its role in supporting vulnerable parents and children.

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