A proven wrap-around support programme for teenage parents in Galway is to be evolved into a new service for young parents – in response to changing needs of at risk families.

At a recent special event 25 years of the Teen Parent Support Programme (TPSP) was celebrated after it has supported approximately 10,000 women and men, across ten counties.

Galway has been included in the Teen Parent Support programme which has supported hundreds of teen parents and children in the community.

The celebration event was accompanied by the launch of the new Young Parents Support Programme – a reframed approach which will expand to reach young parents who face challenges in 19 counties by 2027.

The new YPSP has secured finding to continue to provide the service in Galway and will support parents under 24, as opposed to under 20 in the teen programme. It will also remain engaged for longer continuing to support the parents for the first 1,000 days of the child’s life.

Both programmes are coordinated nationally through child and family information and support service Treoir.

The National Manager of both programmes Samantha Dunne said that the number of teen pregnancies has dramatically fallen in the 25 years of the TPSP, but the needs are now far greater, with more complex cases and more parents in their early twenties needing continued supports.

“The announcement of the YPSP comes following the impact of 25 years of the TPSP, which during its lifetime it expanded from covering three to ten counties,” she said.

“In 1999 there were 3,135 births to parents under the age of 20. In 2023 that number has significantly reduced to 705. However, complexity in cases has increased with young parents having a social care background, increased mental health issues, exposure to domestic gender-based abuses, high incidences of homelessness and substance misuse issues.

“So although births to young parents have decreased, challenges, adversity and many other systemic issues can impact young parents significantly. This has led to the need to expand the age-range criteria, and support parents for a longer period of time.

“The YPSP in Galway has been a very successful programme and we looking forward to the positive impact it will continue to have from working with many more parents in the community,” she added.

The secured funding will see the TPSP evolve into the new YPSP programme in all existing sites by 2027, together with the expansion of new programme to many new sites.

Ms Dunne also revealed that the YPSP’s ambition after 2027 was to continue to expand and reach its target of offering services to young families in all counties across the country.

Pictured: Programme Manager Samantha Dunne (centre) with Natasha Fahy (left) and Anita McGlynn of the Galway based YPSP, pictured at a 25 year celebration of the Teen Parent Support Programme and launch of the new Young Parent Support Programme.