Row over charity childcare report

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The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) and Barnardo's have clashed over a report produced by the charity calling for more childcare help for young mothers.

The children's charity claims teenage mothers get more support with childcare so they can return to education in England than they do in Wales.

WAG says that is "simply untrue" and it is investing "significant" sums to help parents of all ages access education.

Barnardo's says it is standing by its study published on Sunday.

In its report Not The End Of The Story, Barnardo's says too many teenage mothers abandon career ambitions and resign themselves to a low income lifestyle because they face barriers getting back into education.

It highlights truancy, bullying and difficulties at school as common experiences for teenage mums.

But it said childcare was a major factor.

It has called for funding for a similar programme to one called Care to Learn in England.

The absence of childcare support in Wales leaves young mothers resigned to a life on benefits Sally Jenkins

The charity said 84% of young mothers in Wales were not in education, employment or training (NEET) compared with about 10% of 16-18 year olds generally.

It said young mothers appeared to be less motivated to return to education than those in England or Scotland.

Sally Jenkins, assistant director at Barnardo's Cymru, said: "Around 1,250 babies a year are born to mothers under 18 in Wales which has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in Europe.

"These girls and young women include some of the most vulnerable and isolated in society and over eight in ten of them remain in NEET status.

"The absence of childcare support in Wales leaves young mothers resigned to a life on benefits even though they clearly find these difficult to manage on.

"The Care to Learn benefit available in England for childcare is not available here."

But an assembly government spokesperson said: "The claims by Barnardos regarding a lack of childcare support for young mothers in Wales are simply untrue."

It said it issued guidance to all schools and local authorities in November 2006 on the "need to adopt supportive and flexible approaches to teenage mothers."

The assembly government is investing significantly in providing access to good quality childcare Assembly government spokesperson

It emphasised that "on no account" should schools exclude pupils for being pregnant and that schools and local authorities should work with other agencies to support young mothers to maintain their education.

The spokesperson said local authorities had a statutory duty to provide all parents with appropriate support for childcare where they are working or want to work.

"The assembly government is investing significantly in providing access to good quality childcare through programmes such as Flying Start (around £12m per annum) and Genesis Wales 2 to enable all parents regardless of age or circumstance, to participate in work or education."

It said around £7m had been provided to local authorities to assist with the development of childcare provision.

Young people attending college could also access childcare through funding provided by the assembly government through the financial contingencies fund to FE colleges.

"All of these packages of support are designed to provide parents with childcare choices and to develop the childcare offer in Wales," the spokesperson added.

But Ms Jenkins maintained funding support available for teenage mothers who want to return to education and training was "inadequate and patchy" in Wales.