25. Losing friends and social life“If you could just keep that maternal ‘I’ve got something to love’ kind of thing, but it’s not like that, it’s like a really long day when you’re stuck inside watching Teletubbies.”
26. Negative messages Public reactions Professional reactions Emphasis on not being a NEET “The midwife said to my partner ‘What pain relief shall we give her? He said ‘I don’t know, ask her,’ and the midwife said, ‘She’s a bit young to make her own decisions.’ It made me feel a bit small.”
27. The under-parented parent Poor experiences of being parented Looked after child Abuse or neglect Estrangement “My mum went mental. She kicked me out.”
28. Under-parented young people may... Lack strong social & emotional skills Lack self-esteem Lack self-efficacy Lack empathy Find it hard to build warm trusting relationships Be at risk of repeating poor patterns of attachment
36. “It’s the best job. You no longer have extra time to just hang with friends, party, or act irresponsible. You now have a baby to watch over and take care of. I couldn’t be happier, my children make my life complete. My boyfriend and I are doing OK for ourselves; we have a nice flat, steady income, nice things, and we have lots of fun together, and I am only 19 years old.”
37. “It’s the most amazing thing that has ever happened in my life.”