Clacton mum who was pregnant at 17 'on the right path'

A teenager who became pregnant at 17 said she was "on the right path" thanks to help from a young mums' project.

Madison said she lived in a caravan in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex while pregnant and could not get a tenancy because as she was under 18.

Tendring has the second highest teenage pregnancy rate in the East of England, but it is falling.

Projects like Youth Enquiry Service (Yes) in Holland-on-Sea have helped reduce the rate by 47.9% in 10 years.

The service visits schools to educate children and provide mental health support. Yes also delivers group activities for new mothers and fathers, along with housing and sexual health advice.

The charity helped single mum Madison, now aged 20, move into a mother and baby unit where staff advised her on budgeting and how to bring up her son.

Before she contacted the charity, she said she was in a bad place.

"I had to move out of my family home quite quickly," she said.

"I was sofa surfing; It was a terrible time; I didn't know where I was going to land up with a baby in my arms."

The charity's chief executive Dr David Sollis said there was a lack of social housing, and often the first phone call a young mother will make from hospital after giving birth is to the local council's housing department to say they are homeless.

"It's an awful position to be in. It's blocking up the NHS, but it's also affecting the young mum, so we really need to sort it out," he said.

"We believe every child should have the best start in life, but we need to do it quicker."

Teenage pregnancy link worker Tracey Giles says before young women are placed in mother and baby units or in suitable housing, they often spend time in temporary accommodation.

"Obviously we're advising them to eat healthily and make good lifestyle choices, but unfortunately when they're there, they only have a microwave and a kettle, so it's a lot of ready meals which isn't great," she said.

Tendring District Council, run by a coalition of independents and Labour, said there were 1,609 people on its waiting list for social housing, and it gave specific funding to one of the district's housing providers to run "dedicated mother and baby housing support".

Andy Baker, independent cabinet member for housing and planning, said: "National action is required to solve the housing shortage issue for the long-term, but there are steps we are taking to try to provide quality housing for all.

"People who are homeless, or likely to become so, are urged to contact us as soon as possible so that timely support can be given - particularly if they have additional circumstances such as pregnancy - and we do use a range of temporary accommodation to support short-term needs.

"Given the national shortage, it is important that we prioritise to ensure those with the greatest need are helped first."

He said the council was about to begin redeveloping a former sheltered housing facility in Walton-on-the-Naze to provide temporary accommodation for homeless families.

After spending time in a mother and baby unit, Yes helped Madison successfully apply for her own two-bedroom council house.

The budgeting advice she received enabled her to save for driving lessons. She passed her test and got a cleaning job six months ago.

"I've been dreaming of driving for years; I didn't think I'd be able to get there and I did. I feel like I've finally got the work experience I need to find the right path in life," she said.

"If it wasn't for Tracey, I don't think I'd have got where I am now, that's for sure."

"I don't like to say it, but I could have ended up on the streets."

Madison has been supported by her older sister, DC, who babysits Oliver when he is not at nursery and Madison is at work.

"I'm so proud of her for making a family and for being able to have a house like this and a car. There is help out there, as long as you keep asking," she said.

Another young mum Tracy was 24 when she got pregnant and has been helped by Yes to improve her confidence and anxiety.

"I've met people in the group that I've stayed friends with, so it definitely helps," she said.

"I ask all the mums for help and advice, as they've been through it with their child. I used to just Google it."

Yes said the other major issue affecting young people was mental health.

The charity said the number of people it helped had increased by 55% in two years, and it was seeing 80 people in Holland-on-Sea and Colchester each week. It works alongside the NHS, which has a nine-month mental health waiting list for children and young people.

"There isn't enough money in the system to help everyone," Mr Sollis said. "We have to have a proper long term plan to cover mental health."

The government said it was spending an extra £2.3bn a year on mental health nationally.

It said it would help an additional 345,000 children and young people to access NHS-funded mental health support by 2024.

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