WRITTEN SUBMISSION TO PARLIAMENT
Submission by: CHOICES CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTRE
SOMERSET WEST
· CHOICES IS ONE OF 57 SIMILAR CENTRES NATIONALLY.
· IT IS A RESOURCE OF SERVICE AND SUPPORT.
CHOICES MISSION STATEMENT
Choices is a pro-woman centre. We are committed to informing women and young people, regardless of age, sex. marital status or religion, about sexuality and pregnancy. We aim to assist clients to explore all options available to them, thus empowering them to make wellinformed decisions for themselves and their existing and future families.
· THE CURRENT T.O.P BILL REQUIRES THAT COUNSELLING TAKES PLACE.
To address the aspect of counselling;
After spending time with local Health Care providers at State Clinics and Hospitals, we have found that;
· Most staff are under pressure and don't have the time or resource to counsel, or inform pregnant women of their options regarding the pregnancy.
· Some women chose termination to' solve' their problem, rather than taking time to assess their situation.
· Women are generally not going back for post-abortion counselling.
As an NGO we have played a significant role in providing the above services to the community with positive results.
· WHAT WE HAVE FOUND
Our clients often feel pressurised by significant others, whom they trust.
Many of our clients are afraid to tell their parents.
Often women who choose abortion, do so because they feel they have no-one to stand by them during their pregnancy.
With time, support and non-directive counselling, they feel empowered to make decisions for themselves and their futures.
· WE OFFER INFORMATION ON:
Foetal development
Single parenting
Abortion
Adoption
· WE PROVIDE:
Free pregnancy testing and counselling
Post-abortion counselling
A referral base
· OUR STATISTICS:
We serve a population of approximately 150 000 people in the Helderberg area.
We have consulted with over 600 women and their families, facing unplanned
pregnancies.
80% - chose to continue with the pregnancy
15% - chose to terminate the pregnancy
5% - chose adoption
50% - were negative pregnancy tests
· 0THER SERVICES WE PROVIDE:
Schools abstinence based sex education - healthy sexuality; why say no: how to say no; foetal development; abortion awareness: HIV, AIDS and STD’s awareness
Maternity wear
Baby wear and equipment
Ante-natal classes
Residential facility
Adoption service
· OUR MOTIVATION:
We are a Christian organisation, sharing God's unconditional love to all people, regardless of age, race, sex, marital status or religion.
· OUR VIEW ON ABORTION:
We are pro-woman. We offer her information to empower her to make a well informed decision. No decisions made for her, no pressure, no judgement. We refer back to the clinic.
· OUR FUNDING:
We are funded by donations from the community, local church, an overseas charity and private, individuals.
· OUR STAFF
27 volunteer staff. We are a multi-therapeutical team, including;
5 Registered Nurses I Midwives
2 Social Workers
1 Psychologist
ORDINARY PEOPLE HELPING ORDINARY PEOPLE
· OUR CONCLUSION:
It is evidently clear that the state does not have the resources or time to deliver the prescribed provision of non-mandatory and non-directive counselling, before and, if applicable, after the termination of pregnancy as stated in sec. 4 of The Choice on Termination of Pregnancy Act 1996, due to the poor staff-patient ratio at health care centres.
The service we offer at CHOICES "works" in terms of accessibility, information, time resources and support for the woman facing an unplanned pregnancy.