As a parent I applaud Sue Axon’s legal battle to overturn the government’s guidelines on abortion for girls under 16. Currently a termination can take place without a parent’s consent and doctors have to respect a girl’s privacy. While I appreciate a patient’s right to privacy, surely this cannot be the case when the patient is still legally a child, and the responsibility of their parents.
How can a parent provide the love and support their child needs during such a monumental decision if they are not involved in it? I am not advocating informing parents so they have the final say on whether an abortion takes place, but because they should be their for their child.
Not letting them know does a disservice to the whole family.
Matilda Browne, OXFORD
Parents have a right to know
November 25, 2005 in Children
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