Young mothers report facing harmful stigma, judgement from society as study suggests steps to increase support
In short:
Four mothers who became pregnant as teenagers have shared their experiences of discrimination with the ABC, including negative experiences with support services.
Kiara, who became pregnant with her first child at 14, said stigma had been the hardest battle faced as a young mum, surpassing struggles with finance and housing.
What's next?
A study from the University of the Sunshine Coast found that some of the effects of stigma could be countered through social support, a message echoed by not-for-profit BRAVE Foundation.
Kiara was just 14 years old when she found out she was almost six months pregnant with her first child.
Having previously had the pregnancy signs dismissed as being side effects of her contraception, Kiara described the revelation as "a massive shock".
But when it came to deciding whether to follow through with her pregnancy, she felt an unrelenting determination.
A study from a Queensland university and charity found there were ways to overcome stigma surrounding young mums. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Now 25 and a mother of two daughters, Kiara said that of the hardships young mothers face, societal stigma was at the forefront.
"Housing and Centrelink — yeah, they let me down too. But the big one is just general society. Just how I felt going to the supermarket or leaving my house," she said.
The Tasmanian mum said that right "from the moment I found out I was pregnant", there wasn't enough support or positivity surrounding her situation.
"Nine people out of 10 — whether that be my teacher, the clerk behind the supermarket, the GP that I visited that day, or whether that be the housing worker I tried to visit, the way that I was treated for simply being young and pregnant is not OK."
Kiara says she's done everything she can to overcome the obstacles facing her, to be a good mum to her children. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
From the day Kiara learned of her pregnancy, she was motivated to overcome every obstacle, providing for her daughter despite having little support herself.
"At 14 [or] 15, I had a unit … My child was fed, she was happy, and she was bathed. She went to playgroup … I was studying — I went to school on my due date.
"Those are all things that nobody realises when they see someone walking down the street."
One mother said she'd received judgemental comments from strangers. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Undermining comments and lingering stares are a shared experience for many young mums, four of whom spoke to the ABC.
Sharnya, who fell pregnant at 15, had strangers approach her to voice their attitudes.
"I had my son, we were in the mall, and I was giving him a bottle, and a lady came up [to us] and goes, 'Oh, I hope that's your nephew and not your kid.'"
Multiple young mothers told the ABC they've faced stigma for being a young parent. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Gabrielle, who fell pregnant at 19, also said she felt she was treated differently as a young mum.
"I do see a lot of older people announce their pregnancies [on Facebook], and it's filled with hundreds of thousands of 'Congratulations,' 'You deserve it,' You're going to be such a good mum,'" she said.
"And I was met with, 'Where's the dad?' 'Are you sure you're going to be able to look after it financially,' 'It's going to be hard,' 'Are you getting an abortion?' 'Are you sure you want to keep the baby?' 'You're so young, you've ruined your life.'"
Stigma also present in support services
Kiara says kindness can go a long way to making young mothers feel supported. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
Many of the young mothers also reported experiences of discrimination from healthcare workers.
"They wouldn't let me have that first skin-to-skin bonding moment. Even though there [were] no health complications … They took my son and handed him straight to my mum," said Sharnya.
Elise, who had her first child at 16, said she wasn't taken seriously when seeking a diagnosis for her child with neurodivergence.
"Any concerns I had with my son in my teen years [were] always pushed aside.
"It was put down to inexperience or I was having trouble because of my age, and I should read more books."
Study shows some effects of stigma can be countered
Peta Ajkunic says BRAVE Foundation walks alongside young mothers, helping them build a village around them. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
This year, a research project from The University of the Sunshine Coast and charity A Brave Life investigated the psychological wellbeing of young mothers.
It found that stigma contributed to a reduction in help-seeking and confidence, caused isolation and significantly impacted mental health.
However, the same investigation also showed that with support, some of these impacts could be countered.
It noted this included dedicated parenting programs and maximising opportunities for young mums to engage with other mums of similar and varied ages.
The investigation also highlighted that continued education was likely to provide social support, with flexible working and education needed.
BRAVE Foundation, a national not-for-profit organisation that supports and advocates for teen parents, including Kiara, contributes to countering the impacts of stigma by providing young mothers with mentoring and a "village" of support.
"We just walk alongside them, referring them out to community, building that village around each of our participants, and then really, they do the rest themselves," Peta Ajkunic, Kiara's mentor, said.
"We just celebrate the small wins, celebrate the big wins.
"Our biggest goal as a mentor is when we walk away and finish that 12-month program, we want our participants to be equipped to be able to reach out to supports and services when times do become tough."
'Kindness goes a long way'
Kiara has her first child at age 14. (ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke)
The young mums who spoke to the ABC offered a simple solution to reducing stigma in society — be kind.
"If you got a same-aged kid, why not set up a play date and actually get to know the [mother] before you judge them?" Sharnya asked.
"It goes back to, you know, treat people how you want to be treated yourself … [Your age] doesn't determine what type of parent you are," Gabrielle added.
"It would have made all the difference to me to have somebody say, 'What a beautiful baby,' or 'You're doing such a great job'," Elise said.
"They say smiling at somebody really makes their day and you don't know that it does … It does. Kindness goes a long way." Kiara said.