Parents have a right to know

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