SEVENTY-FIVE per cent of the girls at Mary's Child centre for pregnant teens were processed through the Children's Services Division of the Ministry of Health.
The girls range in ages between 12 and 17 currently. However, in the past, pregnant girls age 10 and 11 have been known to turn up for care.
Michelle Graham, the home's administrator, noted that the home accommodates girls whose background and circumstances differ greatly. Of the 12 girls who currently reside at Mary's Child, two got pregnant while living in Government-run children's homes. There are also some girls who were pregnant before coming under state care.
The centre which is located on North Street, Kingston, began operating in 1992, and is a branch of the Mustard Seed Community.
The home's main objective is to help pregnant teenagers who are in crisis. "In most cases we have girls who became pregnant as a result of incest or rape or by a boyfriend. But the fact is that, by the end of the day, they are left on the street, parents probably kick them out, some are from the different (children's) homes," said Ms. Graham.
Mary's Child can accommodate up to 12 girls and Ms. Graham noted that the home operates with minimum resources. It assumes total responsibility for each of the girls and funding is received, primarily from local businesses and overseas voluntary organisations.
"Each person that comes through Children's Services on 'fit person order' an order that qualifies the child as the state's responsibility - a contribution is received every month," said Ms. Graham.
While she will not say how much money is received, she noted that the allowance cannot foot the bill for an ultrasound for one of the girls. However, it does help to stop the many holes in the institution's budget.
The girls remain at Mary's Child up to four months after giving birth. Afterwards, they may go back to the families if an agreement is reached and the state is satisfied. However, if the child has been a ward of the state, then there is a possibility that she will go to a home such as Glenhope Place of Safety in St. Andrew, which has its own nursery. If there is no space at Glenhope then more than likely, the girl and her baby will be separated.
However, during their stay at Mary's Child the girls are provided with a clean, healthy environment. They receive three meals per day and take part in daily devotion and group games. However, when it is time for them to leave they are not so eager.
"Most times when they are leaving here... they bawl and holler because they realise that they are going to be separated from their babies. In some cases you find that it was a cycle it was the same thing with their mothers," Ms. Graham said. "Their mothers had them when they were young and were not able to take care of them. They see that the same thing will happen to their child. Once the mother and child are separated then there is no bonding and sooner or later, the mother is someplace else trying to survive and forget about the baby."
According to Ms. Graham, Mary's Child will continue to serve a purpose as long as the contributions from corporate Jamaica continue to come in. The administrator said that while some companies are very generous others refuse on the basis that the girls should not be pregnant in the first place. She noted that of the 12 girls in residence, seven were pregnant as a result of being raped by family members.
T.K.
