A schoolgirl aged 15 was helped by teachers to have an abortion without her parents’ knowledge.
Teachers at the school in Salford, Greater Manchester, discussed the abortion with the girl, and gave her time off.
Under the law teachers, doctors and nurses can offer abortions to children without telling their parents as long as the child is deemed mature enough to make the decision.
Moral
However they must ensure that every effort is made to encourage a child to involve their parents in the decision.
In this case the girl only told her parents after the abortion had happened.
Michaela Aston, from the pro-life charity LIFE, criticised the school’s move, saying: “Just because the law may allow for this, does not make it moral or right.”
She also said: “The school is being complicit in covering up and indeed contributing to a major, controversial and potentially-damaging event in the life of someone’s daughter.”
Guidelines
John Merry, who is responsible for services for children and young people at Salford City Council, said: “There are very clear and stringent national guidelines for schools to follow in these situations.”
He added that the guidelines “were followed correctly in these circumstances”.
In February this year it emerged that a scheme had allowed a 13-year-old girl to be given a contraception implant at school without her mum’s knowledge.
Speaking to a local newspaper the anonymous mum said she was “angry” about the move.
“To perform a minor surgical procedure on school grounds, without parents knowing is morally wrong and I think more parents should be aware that their children could be having this procedure”, she said.